Supernatural Scarlett
by elmelm
Summary: Scarlett Hart is a veterinarian, engaged, and about to buy a house; everything in her life is going according to plan until she starts having visions of a family she doesn't know and meets the Winchester brothers. Dean W. and OC Romance. Starting in late Season 2. Minimal Charmed crossover. Rated MA for graphic language, violence, and sexual themes.
1. Chapter 1

*Set in season 2-ish; not really sure how closely I'll follow the original story arch*

 _*Children laughing in the distance*  
_ " _C'mon boys, it's time to come inside!" A scruffy, dark-haired man called out to 2 young boys running through a junkyard.  
_ " _Aw c'mon dad; it's not even 5!" The blonde boy griped.  
_ " _Are you talking back to me, son?"  
_ " _No sir." The boy's voice dropped.  
_ " _Alright, get your brother and I want to see you inside at the table in 5 minutes."  
_ " _Yessir."_

"SCARLETT!" A deep growl pulled Scarlett Hart from the unfamiliar scene.

"Sorry, what?" She asked, feeling a little foggy.

"Shit, Scar. This is the kind of crap I'm talking about! You don't even listen when I talk anymore. It's like you're in another fucking world - and I don't think I exist there." Her fiancé yelled at her.

"Jeremy, no! That's not true. It's - um - I just haven't been getting much sleep. You know these graveyard to swing-shifts at the hospital have been kicking my ass."

"No...It's different and you know it. I don't know - this past year...it's like you're a different person. I don't know if you're freaking about the wedding or not, since you barely talk to me, but let me save you the trouble. I'm done, Scar; the wedding is off. I can't live like this anymore."

"Jeremy, what the hell?! Are you serious? We're not even going to talk about this? You're just done? Just like that? Wedding off?!"

"Are you kidding? 'Just like that?' We've BEEN talking about this, Scarlett...or at least I have. You just haven't been listening. You don't hear me!"

"Jeremy, please, I love you! I-I-I hear you. I'll be better, just give me one more chance. I promise it's still me. I know you still love me." Scarlett pleaded, fighting back tears.

"Of course I love you, Scar. That's not what this is about at all…" Jeremy walked over to the woman who'd been his partner for the past seven years and took her hands in his, "I don't know what I am to you anymore."

"You're my best friend." Scarlett began to sob.

"That's not what I needed to hear." Jeremy dropped her hands and grabbed his keys from the hook before walking out the door, slamming it behind him.

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 _A sandy-haired man gets out of a blue pickup, kicking up pebbles as he stomps across a parking lot towards a set of wooden stairs that lead to a door reading "DOC'S MARINA GRILL Port Townsend, WA"_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHUUGH!" a man shrieked in pain.

 _The sandy-haired man takes off his raincoat to reveal a mechanic shirt, below the right lapel the shirt stitching reads: 'Fillmore Street Garage', below the left lapel: the name 'Jeremy'."  
_ " _The usual?" The bartender asks as the sandy-haired man takes a stool.  
_ " _Make it a double." he looks up at the game playing on the bar TV._

"SAM!" A familiar voice shouted.

 _The dark haired man stumbles to his truck, yanks open the cab door, and slamming it shut behind him. The truck screeches off into the darkness._

"AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGH!" shrieks of pain, once more.

 _An auburn-haired young woman is crying into a floral pillow as she lays across a mustard-colored couch below a window with its curtains drawn to the night sky._

"SAMMY! C'MO-" the familiar voice cut out.

 _*A truck horn blares*  
The window is flooded with white light and the blue truck crashes through, demolishing the windowed wall. Blood splatters across the truck and living room. The crying woman is dead and her body is mangled._

"-N, BRO! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

 _The sandy-haired man's eyes flash red as he turns his windshield wipers on, smearing the woman's blood back-and-forth across the cracked glass. The sandy-haired man screams and convulses in anguish as his flesh reddens and melts off of his bones as if he were on fire. His screaming stops and his body is lifeless; his corpse emitting steam._

"AAAAAAAUuuhh-hhhh." Sam realized the shrieking was coming from him.

"Dude! What the hell?!" Sam's brother, Dean, was holding tightly to both of Sam's shoulders.

"We gotta go."

"What? Where? What did you see?"

"Get in the car, I'll tell you on the way."

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Dean followed his little brother out of their motel room and into the black '67 impala their dad gifted him. Dean loved his car and didn't need much convincing to drive it, but something about Sam's tone of urgency was different this time; Dean tossed his keys to Sam, his brother needed the drive more than him.

"So...like... _melted_ melted?" Dean asked after Sam finished recounting his vision.

"Yep."

"Gnarly."

"What could do something like that?"

"...maybe an after-effect of a demonic possession?"

"No, I didn't see anything leave his body before he died."

"Then sounds like some serious hoodoo...a hex or a curse."

"Yeah maybe… how far are we from the Olympic Peninsula?"

Dean pulled out the map, "6, 7 hours give or take."

"Damn!" Sam hit the steering wheel.

"Whoa! What?!"

"It'll be dark by then, Dean! What if we're too late?"

"Well, was there anything in your vision that indicated what time at night it was?"

"Wait- yes!" Sam hit the steering wheel again, smiling.

"C'mon, man, stop hitting her!" Dean winced.

Sam chuckled, "Sorry, it's just, we're going to be so early."

"We are? How do you know?"

"Bottom of the 9th. Cardinals were playing The Mets; night game… that game isn't scheduled until this Friday."

"That's in four days...Sammy, that's the farthest in the future you've seen so far."

"Yeah, I know...I wonder what that means."

"Well, did you see who was up?"

"Sure."

"Then it means we better find a bookie."

"Dean…" Sam got a concerned look in his eyes.

"Sam, I don't want to hear your lecture on morality; the job doesn't exactly pay. We gotta take advantage-"

"No, no. Not that..."

"What is it?"

"Isn't today the 9th?"

"Yeah, so? What's your deal?"

"Friday is the 13th."

"So? Isn't that just mythical superstitious bullshit?"

"Dude, our lives are mythical superstitious bullshit."

"Fair point… so what do we know about Friday the 13th?"

"Well there's a bunch of different 'Omens.' The 13th apostle was Judas and Jesus was crucified on a Friday. In ancient Rome witches gathered in 12, the 13th member was the devil. Friday the 13th is when King Philip IV falsely arrested the Knights of Templar and they were eventually burned at the stake. Supposedly the devil tricked Eve, and subsequently she tricked Adam, into eating the fruit of knowledge on a Friday the 13th. Some people also believe Cain killed Abel on a Friday the 13th."

"So it's all over the place: betrayal, corruption, blasphemy, deception, murder…"

"Yes, just your general evil."

"I'll call Ellen and see if Ash can find any kind of Friday the 13th pattern or maybe another hunter has some info."

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Scarlett called over to the Animal Emergency and Trauma Center in Poulsbo, WA where she was due for a 6pm-8am shift.

"Poulsbo Animal Emergency, this is Emily; how can I assist you?" The soft and soothing tone of her favorite receptionist's voice seemed so startling while Scarlett's life was falling apart - like it didn't match reality somehow.

"Hey, Em... It's Dr. Hart." Scarlett's voice cracked.

"Oh, hi Dr. Hart...Running late?"

"Yes- er- no. I'm not going to make it in tonight. I need you to transfer me to Kaylin and then call in Dr. Collins."

"Oh, ok. One sec-"

The phone line clicked and switched to a hold-tone. "This is Kaylin." Short and direct, just like the vet tech herself.

"Hi, Kay."

"Scar? What's up? Where you at?"

"I'm not coming in, you gotta cover until Collins comes."

"What's wrong?"

"... it's-" Scarlett chokes back her tears, "it's Jeremy. He left."

"What do you mean 'he left'?"

"He said the wedding was off and then he left. That's it. It's over." Scarlett began to cry.

"No fucking way. I don't believe it. He loves you more than anything, Scar."

"Be-lieve-ih-hih-hit-t-t!" Scarlett said through sobs.

"Bullshit, he'll be back. It's just pre-wedding stress. It'll be OK, sweetie."

Scarlett sniffled, trying to pull herself together.

"Really, just give him some time. You guys are meant to be. Look, I'm gonna talk to Greg when he gets in about covering you for a few days. Try to get some sleep. You've been running yourself ragged doing 70 hour weeks between here and Kitsap, plus wedding planning. Things will look better in the morning." Kaylin reasoned.

"Ok, call me if you guys need anything."

"We won't; go to sleep. I'll come by tomorrow with breakfast."

"Thanks, Kay. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Love you sweets, get some rest."

Scarlett hung up the phone. Feeling emotionally drained, she decided to take her friend's advice and went to lay down in bed.

 _*Singing 'Dream a Little Dream of Me'*  
_ _A beautiful blonde woman, who looks as much like Doris Day as she sounds, rocks a baby in her arms.  
_ " _Mommy?" a sleepy-eyed boy with the same blonde locks shuffles into the nursery.  
_ " _Sweetheart," the woman gently coos "what are you doing out of bed?"  
_ " _I wann-ed hear mommy song." his little voice trips through the sentence.  
_ _A dark-haired man chuckles as he enters the doorway. "Am I invited to the party?"  
_ " _Daddy, shh!" The blonde boy whispers. "Mommy sing baby brudder nigh-nigh song."  
_ _The two parents smile at each other and the mother continues singing._

"SCAR!" Someone called in the distance. "WAKE UP!" a deepening awareness of daylight rushed Scarlett into consciousness. "I grabbed the key from under the frog and let myself in!" It was Kaylin's voice shouting to her. "Coffee is on the table, sweetie." Her friend walked into the bedroom. "I really gotta piss." Kaylin disappeared into the bathroom. "I can't stay long!" she echoed from inside the tiled lavatory. "I haven't been to bed yet and I'm about to drop!" Scarlett got up and slipped her robe on before walking into the living room to sit on the couch. "So how did you sleep?" Kaylin emerged from the bedroom.

"Good...actually." Scarlett spoke her first words of the day as she reached for the quad-shot latte on the coffee table.

"See, honey; a good night's sleep always makes life a little more bearable." Kaylin plopped down next to her on the couch.

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Dean and Sam walked out of their room at The Harborside Inn to a sunny autumn day in Port Townsend.

"I thought Washington was supposed to be rainy." Dean said, looking up at the cloudless blue sky.

"We're in the rain shadow." Sam explained.

"The what?"

"Never mind. Let's check out the mechanic shop."

"Right."

The boys hopped in the Impala and Dean drove them up the hill to the Fillmore Street Garage. Once they arrived, they were greeted by a tall middle-aged man in a mechanic's shirt that read 'Dave'.

"She's a beauty," Dave nodded toward the Impala, "67? "

"Good eye! 327, 4-barrel, V-8."

"Gorgeous…" Dave looked her over, "well what can I do for you boys? I can't imagine you'd let anyone other than yourself touch her, so I know you're not here for mechanic work."

"You got us. Actuality were U.S. Marshals." Dean flashed a counterfeit badge. "Looking for a Jeremy."

"Is he in trouble?" Dave's facial expression changed from welcome to worry.

"No!" Sam chimed in, "We're actually looking for someone else, we think Jeremy may be able to help us."

"Oh, good. He's a good kid. Not going to be in this week, though."

"Is he sick?" Dean asked.

"No," Dave shook his head and sighed, "heart broken. Poor kid broke off his engagement last night."

"Oh, that's too bad." Sam gave Dean an intrigued look.

"I don't think it'll stick, they're going through it now, but those two kids got something special. They'll work it out." Dave said knowingly.

"Good to hear." Sam gave a warm smile; he was good at those.

"So, Dave, any way you could point us to where Jeremy lives? We hate to bother him, but the case we're working on is time sensitive." Dean pressed; he was good at that.

"Well, him and Scarlett's place is up the hill a bit at 607 V street...but he's probably staying with his grandma right down the road on Tyler Street, right across from the old church."

"Thank you for your time. You've been very helpful." Sam said.

Dean nodded to Dave before the two brothers headed off again in the Impala.

"Let's check out the grandmother's house first, maybe we can head this off without the ex-fiancée ever getting involved." Sam said as they pulled out onto the street.

"Good thinking, Sammy."

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"So any voicemails from Jeremy?" Kaylin asked as Scarlett sipped her coffee.

"Um," She looked over at her RAZR on the table that had no blinking message light, "nope."

"Well, it hasn't even been a day since...since...what exactly happened anyway?"

"I don't know, I guess he feels like I've been distant. Which is probably true…"

"You've been busy! Laying the foundation for a successful life. For the BOTH of you, he'll realize that."

"Yeah, maybe; It's not just work, though…." Scarlett trailed.

"Oh?"

"Kay, I've been having these dreams…"

"What kind of dreams?"

"Nothing too weird really, but always of the same family."

"What family?"

"I don't know. I don't recognize them. It's a blonde woman and a dark-haired man and their 2 sons."

"So?"

"So...I don't know… there's just something about them. And I only see the woman with them while the youngest is still an infant."

"Oh my God. You're gonna be one of those couples that starts popping out kids as soon as you're married!" Kaylin teased. "You better not quit the animal hospital!"

"What? No! It's not like that. Sometimes I see them when I daydream too."

"You're totally baby crazy! Look, just do yourself a favor and tell Jeremy about the dreams. He loves you. I'm sure he won't freak. You guys will make beautiful kids."

"Um, yeah. Maybe you're right." Scarlett gave up on trying to communicate with Kaylin.

"Great. I gotta go home to bed before it gets any later in the day. Call me tonight and let me know how things go with Jeremy. Love you!" Kaylin and Scarlett hugged before Kaylin left.

Scarlett was left alone to contemplate the dream family. Could her sleep-deprived friend be right? Were the visions of this family just something her subconscious was creating to process thoughts of her future with Jeremy? And what about her future with Jeremy? Where was he? Should she call him? Did he need more space? The questions were beginning to overwhelm Scarlett, so she decided she needed to escape her mind for a while. She set off to The Rose Theater to catch a matinee… it didn't really matter what was playing, anything was better than her reality.

Scarlett got to the theater in time for an afternoon showing of Scream, the theater was having a horror film festival through all of October, including a showing of Friday the 13th on this Friday the 13th…She pre-bought a ticket for that day as well.

Just as Drew Barrymore was getting 'sliced and diced', Scarlett started to feel dizzy.

" _Bobby, I don't know what to do with the boys. I can't bring them with me on this one." The dark-haired man sounded desperate and looked more scruffy than ever.  
_ " _Don't worry about them, John. Of course they can stay here. I can look after 'em for a week 'er two." A grungy looking man in a camo-trucker-hat assured the dark-haired man. "Bring a compact mirror with ya. You'll spot a changeling easier with it."  
_ " _Thanks, I'll pick one up on the way out of town - and maybe a flame thrower." The dark-haired man called John looked serious.  
_ " _Light that bitch up."_

"John!" Scarlett gasped as she returned to reality.

"Shh!" Someone in the crowd shushed her.

"Sorry!" She whispered and returned her attention back to the movie, making a mental note to do some research on what exactly a 'changeling' was.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam and Dean parked on Tyler Street in front of a two-story Victorian that was across from a white chapel.

"Think this is it?" Sam asked, getting out of the car.

"Looks like." replied Dean as the two walked up to the door.

Before they could even knock, an elderly woman opened the door "No solicitors!" She began to shut her door again, but Dean caught it.

"We're not salesmen, we're looking for Jeremy." Sam said in the most unassuming tone he could muster.

"Oh, well Jeremy's just down in the basement. You boys hurry on in, I'm not paying to heat the neighborhood."

"Yes ma'am; I'm Sam and this is-"

"I don't need your life story, boy. No time for new people at my age. Just go on down and see your friend." Jeremy's grandmother snapped as she pointed towards the basement stairs and hobbled off to the kitchen.

"Ooookay…" Sam looked at Dean.

"Seniors, man." Dean shrugged and headed for the stairs. "Jeremy?"

No one answered. The two brothers descended to find a futon in front of a small TV that still had an antenna. On the futon there was a note that read:

" _ **Bapshi,**_

 _ **Went for a walk to clear my head.**_

 _ **-Jeremy**_ "

"Well, I guess he's not here. What do we do now?" Sam asked.

"Why don't we check out the ex-fiancée? After that we'll head to the bar you saw in your vision, I bet he'll show up there at some point tonight...I know I would if I just broke off an engagement."

"Sounds like a plan." Sam agreed.

Dean's cell rang as the two got back into the Impala. "Hello?"

" _Dean?"_ Ash's voice came from the other end.

"It's Ash" Dean said to Sam. "What d'you got, buddy?"

" _There's just general mayhem when it comes to Friday the 13th. I can't pin any pattern down...it's almost like a full moon: just amps things up."_

"Alright, thanks. Did Ellen hear anything from another hunter at the roadhouse?"

" _She's got nothing either."_

"Damn! Well, thanks for checking. I owe ya' a PBR next time we're through." Dean hung up. "They've got nothing."

"I guess we start digging into town history, recent murders; head to the library after checking the ex-fiancée's house."

"Look at this town."

"What about it?"

"It's all old and Victorian; they've gotta have a local history museum."

"Wow, you're probably right."

"Don't sound so surprised, Sammy."

"Sorry, it's just...I'm usually the designated research monkey."

"I'm older, and therefore wiser. You should get used to me being right."

"And so humble." Sam rolled his eyes.

The brothers turned onto a small residential road and up to another old victorian with a four-paneled picture window at the front porch.

"This is it." Sam said gravely.

The brothers got out of the Impala and walked up the steps to the door. Dean rang the bell with no answer. Sam tried knocking: again with no answer.

"Guess no one's home." Sam shrugged.

"Jeremy? Hello?" Dean called loudly while Sam walked onto the porch to peer through the large window.

"Like I said, no one home." Sam said. "Cute place."

"'Cute place?'" Dean smirked at his little brother.

"What?"

"Nothing, let me know when to look for your article in Better Homes and Gardens."

"Whatever."

"Ok, Alicia." Dean chuckled and tried the front door. "People in these small towns: so trusting." He opened the door and walked in.

"Hello? Scarlett?" Sam called out, luckily with no answer.

Dean began going through the stack of mail on the kitchen counter. "Scarlett Hart and Jeremy Leblanc."

Sam looked through the pictures on the mantle. "Scarlett graduated from Cornell only last year."

"Wonder what brought her out here." Dean contemplated aloud as he scanned the room with an EMF meter.

"Anything?" Sam asked.

"Not yet. I'm gonna check upstairs, keep watch." Dean separated from his brother.

Sam walked outside to wait on the porch, his brother joining him a few minutes later.

"So?"

"Nada. Let's find that local history museum."

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Scarlett returned home with still no word from Jeremy. She hadn't lived alone in seven years, and she thought she never would again… but now she wasn't so sure. After she graduated with her DVM from Cornell in Ithaca, NY, Jeremy proposed to her at Buttermilk Falls: it was one of the best memories in Scarlett's life. She agreed to move to Port Townsend, WA to be close to Jeremy's grandmother who had raised him; her husband passed a few years prior and Jeremy didn't want her to be alone. It wasn't hard to leave Ithaca, she'd only moved there from her hometown of Orlando, FL for grad school. Getting her doctorate didn't leave much time for socializing or putting down roots, and Jeremy had made the move to Ithaca from where they met at UCF; it was a no-brainer to come to Port Townsend. In one year they found a beautiful house that was rent-to-own, she got a great position at a local veterinary clinic and at an overnight trauma center, Jeremy was doing what he loved: working with cars, and she'd even found a friend in her coworker Kaylin. Now it seemed like all of that was unraveling. There Scarlett sat, taking in all of what she truly had here: an empty house.

"Fuck this!" Scarlett exclaimed to herself standing up and walking outside, slamming the door behind her.

She finished her Bachelor's and a Doctorate all by 26-years-old. She moved across the country away from everyone and everything she'd ever known. She was a smart and independent young woman and she'd be damned if she was gonna mope around and wait for a man to call her like she was a fucking 16-year-old. She didn't deserve this after seven years of commitment. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them. Scarlett got on her bike and set off riding to Jeremy's Grandmother's house.

When she arrived Jeremy's grandmother was sitting on the porch with a set of binoculars staring off to the right of her.

"Gretta, it's Scarlett. I'm going in to talk to Jeremy." She said matter-of-factly, before letting herself into the woman's home and heading straight for the basement.

However, no amount of self-empowerment prepared her for what she found.

"Scarlett!" Kaylin exclaimed from on all fours, looking straight at her as she entered the room.

Jeremy's head shot up from staring at Kaylin's bare ass and he froze mid-thrust.

"What the fuck!" The exclamation came involuntarily from Scarlett's mouth as she rushed back upstairs.

She didn't even feel herself moving really, but she was; up the stairs; down the hall; out the door; off the porch; on her bike; down the street-  
"SCARLETT WATCH OUT!"

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After spending a few hours going through the Jefferson Museum of Art & History in downtown Port Townsend and speaking with a few local history buffs in the city hall where the museum was located, a sweet old man eventually informed Sam and Dean that they could find more detailed historical archives at the Jefferson County Historical Society's Research Center, to which they were now headed.

"Well this one is certainly turning into a wild goose chase." Dean said.

"Yeah, for such an old town surrounded by military forts, not a lot of- LOOK OUT!"

Dean whipped the steering wheel to the right, desperately trying not to hit a cyclist that came tearing out of a yard in front of them.

The car turned in a U and a rush of relief washed over them as they avoided a horrible accident, until they heard a man shout "SCARLETT WATCH OUT!"

Dean and Sam turned around to look out the rear window in time to watch the same cyclist get slammed by a subaru. The boys jumped out of the car and rushed over; Dean pulled out his cell and called 911 and Sam took off his jacket to put under the bleeding head of the woman hit, recognizing her from his vision and the pictures in the home he'd just snooped through hours earlier.

"I-I-I didn't see- she came out of nowhere!" A frantic teen jumped out of the vehicle that hit her.

"Oh my God! Scarlett! Scarlett!" A man in nothing but boxers came rushing up behind Sam and dropped down on the ground next to an unconscious Scarlett.

"Scarlett? Do you know this woman?" Sam asked looking up to see Jeremy from his vision.

"Yes! Yes, she's my fiancée." Jeremy grabbed her and began to shake her. "Scarlett, please baby, wake up-"

"JEREMY! STOP!" A woman Sam didn't recognize ran up and pushed him away from Scarlett. "Don't move her! Did anyone call 911?!" She looked desperately at Sam.

"I did." Dean walked over. "They'll be here in three minutes. Cops too." Dean nodded for sam to come over to him. "Stay here and give a statement to the cops, I'm gonna ride with her to the hospital and keep an eye on things. Here," Dean handed Sam the keys to the Impala, "head over to the research center afterwards, before it closes. Meet me at the hospital when you're done."

"Alright." Sam nodded.

"So that's Scarlett and Jeremy. Well, guess we know why the engagement's off." Dean sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"That other chick..."

"Jeeze."

Sam walked over to try to calm down the teen driver and Dean knelt down with Jeremy and the unidentified woman checking Scarlett's pulse.  
"Alright, the ambulance will be here in a minute or so, I'm going to ride over to the hospital with her and you're gonna go get some pants on." Dean instructed.

"Excuse me?" Jeremy stood up.

"You heard me."

"That's my fiancée, buddy. Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm a friend of Scarlett's. She's my dog's Vet."

"Well that doesn't give you the-"

"Look, pal: we both know that's not her mechanic's shirt she's wearing," Dean said pointing at the woman with Scarlett, "and you're a little underdressed for a walk around the block. I think it's safe to say that you're the last face she's gonna want to see when she wakes up, so like I said, I'm going to ride with her to the hospital and the only way you're getting in that ambulance is as another patient. Your choice."

"Can you both shut up?!" The girl called from on the ground as the ambulance arrived.

"Kaylin, I have to-" Jeremy started.

"No! He's right! We're the reason she's like this. Let him go with her."

The paramedics rushed up with a stretcher, "What's going on?"

"Scarlett Hart, she was hit by a car, maybe 25 miles per hour, unconscious for 5 minutes, she's lost a lot of blood from her head, right rib cage may be fractured, her breathing is labored, BP is 90 over 50 and dropping."

"Are you a doctor?" One paramedic asked as he wheeled Scarlett to the truck.

"Vet tech at the trauma center."

"Coming with her?" The other paramedic checked, pulling the other end of the gurney into the ambulance bed.

"No, her brother is." Kaylin pushed Dean forward.

"Right, Dean Hart." Dean said stepping into the ambulance.

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 _Bobby_ _is older, but still wearing the same camo-hat. He walks towards a tall, floppy-brown-haired young man staring out the window.  
*Grunting, shouting, and loud banging noises come from outside*  
_" _I thought he was trying to fix it." The young man says.  
_ " _Some things have to break all the way down before they can be built up again." Bobby says, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder, and joins him at the window.  
The two men look out to another young man, this one blonde, beating in the trunk of an old black car that was already pretty smashed up.  
_" _I don't know what to do." The brown-haired young man's voice cracks with pain as he hangs his head.  
_ " _There's not too much ya can."  
_ " _I just want him to know I'm here for him, he was my dad too; we both lost him, he doesn't have to go through it alone. We're family."  
_ " _He knows. Trust me, he knows."  
_ " _I'm gonna go lie down." The brown-haired young man starts to leave the room.  
_ " _And, Sam?" Bobby calls after him, the brown-haired young man stops and turns his hanging head slightly towards Bobby. "Your dad knew too. He loved you boys. I'll talk to Dean - try to get that wrench out of that idjit's hands at least."  
_ " _Thanks, Bobby." Sam walks away.  
Bobby heads outside towards the blonde young man and shouts at him, "DEAN!"_

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"How is she?" Sam walked into Scarlett's hospital room with a nurse.

"He said he was your brother…" The nurse looked to Dean for confirmation.

"Yeah, he's our brother."

"Ok." The nurse left.

"Our?" Sam asked.

"Yeah that girl, Kaylin, told the paramedic I was Scarlett's brother so I could go with her."

"Good thinking...so?"

"So she's doing okay… for someone who has a concussion and is unconscious. She came to in the ambulance for a minute but then right back out before we got to the hospital. Doctor says nothing is broken, but she's got two bruised ribs. Her vitals are back to normal and she's stable. Just waiting for her to wake up."

"Any sign of Jeremy? He and Kaylin went back into grandma's house before I went back to the research center."

"No, not yet anyway. What did you find out?"

"So nothing really crazy in the town death records, the military base saw no action. But get this: there was a smallpox outbreak here like 100 years ago and a lot of people were quarantined and then died; they would burn the bodies immediately after death… maybe some connection there? This hospital was the quarantine site, actually. Maybe Jeremy picks up a restless spirit here?"

"Then I say we keep him out of the hospital until we know for sure."

"... they are most certainly NOT her brothers!" Jeremy's voice carries from down the hall.

"I think we're too late." Sam says.

"I am her fiancé! I demand to see her! Who is your supervisor?!" Jeremy keeps shouting.

"Alright sir, calm down. This way…" the nurse brought in Jeremy, "he said you two aren't family."

"Technically…" Sam started.

"You two are going to have to go." The nurse put one her hand on her hip and pointed to the door with the other.

"Well, he's not her fiancé." Dean said.

"What?" the nurse turned back to Jeremy with exasperation.

"Yeah he's been cheating!" Dean pressed as he and Sam walked for the door.

Jeremy looked livid, "Look here, you don't know shit about my relat-"

"DEAN!" Scarlett shouted as she shot up awake in her hospital bed.

"He's here, miss." The nurse pushed Dean back towards Scarlett's bedside. "Okay, sir, you need to leave. SECURITY?! CODE GREY!" The nurse shouted as she started checking over Scarlett's vitals.

"Scarlett! Tell her I can stay!" Jeremy pleaded to the confused looking Scarlett.

Scarlett looked around the hospital room, she couldn't tell if she was dreaming or awake; she recognized the strangers in her room from a dream, but there was also Jeremy begging her to let him stay; the image of him fucking Kaylin from behind flooded into her mind. "Get him out." Scarlett laid back into the hospital bed as a security guard removed Jeremy from the room.

"Ok, your vitals still look good, I'm going to go get the doctor." The nurse left the room.

Sam and Dean looked at each other, unsure of what just happened.

Sam cleared his throat.

Dean was the first to speak, "Do you know us?"

"Am I on opiates?" Scarlett didn't really answer.

"No, just Tylenol. You've had a concussion." Dean answered.

"So I am hallucinating." Scarlett said.

"I'm sorry, what?" Dean asked.

"Scarlett, do you recognize us?" Sam tried.

"I know that you're Sam and Dean…" She said foggily.

"That's right, how do you know us?" Dean asked.

"I dreamt of you both...you were beating a car." Scarlett looked at Dean.

"Hi, Scarlett? I'm Dr. Holt." The doctor came in.

"Hi...yes, I treated your lab, Molly."

"Yes, right. That's good, I wasn't sure if you'd remember." He said, pulling out an ophthalmoscope to check her eyes.

"I never forget a face."

"Good memory; look to the left; is it ok if your brothers stay in the room? Look up, please."

"My brothers...Sam and Dean?"

"Yes, look to the right."

"Sure, yes. My brothers." Scarlett agreed.

"Look down. Great. So as I told your brother, Dean, you have 2 bruised ribs, 6 stitches on your forehead, and a concussion. I don't want to put you on any opiods because of the concussion and, as I'm sure you know, most painkillers are going to thin your blood; so unfortunately all I can give you is some 600mg paracetamol."

"That's fine." Scarlett nodded along. "When can I leave?"

"Well, normally I'd like to keep you overnight at least…"

"My brothers will watch me. I'd prefer to be at home. I promise I won't go to sleep for the next 5 hours and one of them will wake me up every 2 hours once I do go to bed. And I'll come back if I need to."

"You'll have to sign that you choose to discharge AMA."

"That's fine."

"Alright they'll have the paperwork at the front desk and I'll have a nurse bring you a wheelchair."

"Thank you, really."

"Of course." Dr. Holt left the room.

"My brothers?" Scarlett looked to Sam and Dean.

"We saw the accident; it was the only way to go with you." Dean said.

"Yeah, Dean was the one who called the ambulance."

"Oh, well thank you." Scarlett said. "So what the fuck is going on?"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you." Dean chuckled uncomfortably.

"I'm thinking I might." Scarlett slowly got out of the hospital bed, bent over, and clutched her side.

"Let me help you!" Sam said, grabbing an elbow to keep her steady.

"Ugh!" Scarlett sat on the edge of the bed. "I guess I'll wait for the wheelchair. Could you hand me my pants?"

Dean grabbed her jeans from the chair and handed them to her.

"So, I'm thinking you boys might give me a ride home and maybe start filling me in on what you know… cause you were way too unphased by me telling you I recognized you from my dreams." Scarlett said as she pulled her pants up under the hospital gown.

"Yeah, we can give you a ride." Dean agreed.

"Do you know where my shirt is?"

"They cut it off of you when they thought your ribs were broken." Dean explained.

"Damn, I really liked that shirt."

The nurse came in with the wheelchair for Scarlett. "Paperwork for discharge is at reception, do you want me to take you out?"

"No, we've got it, thanks." Dean said as he took the wheelchair and Sam helped Scarlett into it.

"Thank you!" Scarlett waved to the nurse as the three 'siblings' headed for the waiting room to sign out.

Upon exiting the ER, Jeremy was sitting on the curb.

"Oh my God! Scarlett!" Jeremy jumped up and rushed over. "Are you okay? They won't tell me anything!"

"I'm fine." Scarlett said curtly.

"Who are these two?"

"They're friends."

"I've never met them."

"Guess we both have secrets."

"Scarlett, I-"

"Save it, Jeremy. I moved here, to the middle of fucking nowheres-ville, across an entire CONTINENT from anyone I know, it takes me a YEAR to make ONE FRIEND, and you're FUCKING HER?!"

"Scarlett please, you were so busy-"

"Don't you DARE!" Scarlett got up shaking.

"Scarlett please sit down? We'll handle him." Sam asked.

"We sure will." Dean said right before he punched Jeremy in the face, laying him out on the ground.

"Dude!" Sam exclaimed and went to go check Jeremy.

"No, leave him; he's already at the hospital." said Scarlett.

"Scar…" Jeremy sat up and his nose ran with blood.

"Better get inside, Jeremy. That looks bad." Scarlett said in monotone.

"Damn, cold as ice." Dean chuckled and pushed her wheelchair towards the Impala.

The car ride to Scarlett's house was quiet. The boys didn't know where to start or what to say and Scarlett was still processing the past 24 hours of her life.

"How did you know where I live?" Scarlett was the first to break the silence as they pulled up to her home.

"We actually came here looking for you earlier, Dave from Fillmore Auto pointed the way." Sam explained.

"What? Why were you looking for me?" Scarlett asked, more intrigued than worried.

"I think we better do this inside." Said Sam as he helped her out of the car.

"Speaking of," Dean started, "what's the deal about you sleeping and us waking you up?"

"Yeah, to make sure I don't show signs of slipping into a coma. When I go to sleep someone has to wake me up every 2 hours. Do you mind staying? I...I don't really have anyone else to call."

"No problem, makes our job easier in-fact." Sam said as the three walked inside.

"And what is your job exactly?"

"Sam, why don't you fill her in. I'm gonna catch a nap before staying up all night." Dean said.

"Oh yeah, guest room is through the mud room and up the stairs." Scarlet pointed and Dean left them to it.

"OK, so…" Sam began.

"Actually, I'm going to go change and get comfortable before we settle into this. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. There's beer on the bottom shelf." Scarlett came back out to the living room in her pajamas. "Ok let's do this." She sat down across from Sam on the couch.

"Ok, well, see...I have these visions of the future - and I know that might sound crazy, but hear me out."

"Alright."

"Really? Ok, um, so usually when I have a vision it's of someone who is like me. Has some sort of psychic ability...which I'm guessing you do since you said you'd been dreaming about my brother and me."

"...so you're saying… that I'm psychic?"

"Yes, probably. When did you see my brother beating up his car?"

"Um, while I was unconscious."

"Oh… That's strange… cause that did happen, but it was a few months ago. Not in the future…"

"So I'm a psychic who can't even see the future?" Scarlett chuckles. "Great."

"Have you had any other dreams that felt… different? Mine started about a year ago and have started happening while I'm awake."

"Well… actually, I've been dreaming and daydreaming about this family. Mother is blonde-very beautiful-, father is dark haired and kinda scruffy looking; they have two little boys: blonde and brunette...two brothers...like you and Dean..." Scarlett's head starts to spin, "oh my damn, Bobby was there both times-"

"Wait, Bobby?" Sam interrupted.

"You two are the little boys…" Scarlett's eyes start to get glassy, "I'm so sorry about your dad."

"How did you…" Sam's eyes get misty for a moment.

"Tell me, what did you see about me? I believe you."


	3. Chapter 3

"So you guys hunt… ghosts and demons." Scarlett was pacing around her living room.

"Among other things." Sam added.

"Other things?"

"A werewolf here, a shape-shifter there…"

"Holy shit."

"More like unholy shit."

"Hah… he jokes." Scarlett was in shock.

"Look, you're taking this really well considering..."

"Considering my now ex-fiancé is going to potentially become possessed by some spirit and murder me?"

"Yeah."

"So both your parents were killed by this 'yellow-eyed-demon' and he may want me too cause we're both psychic? Why is he not at the top of the list of things maybe possessing Jeremy?"

"Well, for one thing: in my vision Jeremy's eyes weren't yellow."

"Right, right. I think I need to lay down."

"Oh, are you ok? Should we go back to the hospital?"

"No, it's not my concussion; it's finding out that Buffy was more of a reality show than wild fantasy."

"Yeah, I liked that show." Dean walked into the room. "Hot chick, badass demon hunting, and funny jokes? That's entertainment."

"Yeah, favorite of mine too." Scarlett said as she laid down on the couch.

"So…We had 'the talk'." Sam told Dean.

"Always use protection-" Dean started.

"And foreplay is not optional." Scarlett added.

"Hey, looks like we got a live one over here." Dean laughed.

"Don't let me fool you, humor is my go-to defense mechanism." Scarlett shot up from the couch. "If I never lay on that couch then your premonition can't come true!"

"Ok, she might be freaking." Sam said as he walked over to Scarlett. "Look, everything is going to be alright. You should try to get some sleep. I'm going to do the same. Dean will be right out here if you need anything." Sam lead Scarlett to her bedroom door.

"Um… actually… would you mind if we traded?" Scarlett said shakily.

"Traded…?"

"Rooms, he can't drive his car into me if I sleep on the 2nd floor."

"Right, sure, of course." Sam said in his most soothing voice.

"Great… thank you guys… you know, for everything." Scarlett said as she walked to the stairs.

"Anytime." Said Sam.

"See you in two hours." Dean said and waited for her to get all the way upstairs. "So what do you think?"

"I think she's a little scared, but over all dealing with it… Better than most?" Sam said, his voice full of sympathy.

"Yeah, plus she's smokin'."

"Right… on that note I'm gonna go to bed. She said we could help ourselves to the fridge. G'night." Sam shook his head and walked into Scarlett's empty bedroom.

Upstairs Scarlett lay awake, too shaken to turn out the lights, even though she had a massive migraine. She kept going over the events of the past two nights: her fiancé calling off their wedding, finding the closest thing she had to a best friend in 3,000 miles getting pounded by said fiancé, finding out the boys from her dreams are real people come to protect her from being horrifically murdered, finding out the things from scary campfire stories are actually real- what the actual fuck was happening?

She couldn't think about it anymore, it was too overwhelming, so she turned on the TV to find something comforting to watch: luckily she found a late night marathon of Gilligan's Island. However, even the wacky antics of one of her most beloved sick-in-bed-TV-classics weren't making her feel any safer or ready to turn out the lights; she decided to go downstairs to see what Dean was up to.

"Hey…" She announced herself at the foot of the stairs.

Dean turned around from watching the living room TV. "What's up, everything okay?"

"Yeah...I mean not really, like reality is crashing down around me and I might be having an existential crisis, but physically things are good-ish seeing as I have also been hit by a car today." Scarlett rambled.

"Huh." Dean didn't know what to say to that.

"Not much of a philosopher, I guess." Scarlett laughed uncomfortably. "Look, this is really embarrassing...but I seem to be quite literally afraid of the dark… and I guess I was wondering, you know since you're already planning on checking in on me, if maybe you could… God, this is so silly. Never mind, sorry to interrupt you, go back to watching-" Scarlett glanced at the television, "Gilligan's Island?"

"Yeah, I just love that Mary Ann." Dean smiled.

"Huh, I would've pegged you for a Ginger fan...but actually, it's funny, I'm also watching Gilligan upstairs."

"You don't say…"

"Yeah, trying to forget…"

"All the bad things?"

"Yeah." Scarlett looked down at her slippers.

"You know, I can't really watch this with sound down here cause Sam has sensitive hearing right on the other side of the wall and all; would it be ok if I came up and watched with you? Since I'm already planning on checking in on you, that is." Dean proposed a plan he already knew the answer to.

"Oh, yeah, of course! I'm not really tired at all."

Dean followed Scarlett back upstairs to the guest room.

Dean waited as Scarlett got into bed, then sat at the foot of it to watch Gilligan on the television.

"Um… you can actually sit back here against the headboard." Scarlett smiled. "I swear I got my cootie shot."

"Hah...it's fine. I'm good here."

"Look, I get you're doing the whole gentleman thing… and I appreciate that, I do. But please, get comfortable. It's a long night and you're doing me lots of favors."

"Well, when you put it like that…" Dean hopped backwards and plopped down on the bed next to Scarlett, kicking off his shoes.

"Oof-" Scarlett grabbed her side. "But maybe gentle next to the crash victim."

"Oh, shit! Sorry, are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm good, actually it's been a while since I took that Tylenol." Scarlett said as she got up again.

"No! Lay down, let me get it." Dean insisted.

"Alright, don't have to tell me twice." She laid back down. "And while you're down there, grab yourself a beer out of the fridge!"

"You're a good woman!" Dean called from the stairwell.

Scarlett laughed and snuggled into the blankets, starting to feel a bit more at ease with the world.

Dean came back and laid down on top of the covers next to Scarlett, opening the prescription bottle. "Here you go," he handed her 2 pills, "shit, I didn't grab you any water."

"That's ok," Scarlett took the pills from Dean's one hand and beer from the other, "I'll manage." She swallowed her pills and a swig from the bottle before handing it back.

They smiled at each other before settling in to watch the television classic.

About ten minutes later Dean looked over to Scarlett and saw she was fast asleep, he set the alarm on his cell for two hours and turned back to Gilligan. As Dean lay there, nursing his beer and watching stupid television with a beautiful woman asleep in bed next to him, he thought about all of the things in life he may never have: a house that he owned, a lawn to mow, a woman to grow old with, children...Jeremy had all of it, a home and a woman he would start a family with, and he threw it away; he didn't even deserve it. Scarlett rolled over to Dean in her sleep and when she nuzzled his shoulder he couldn't help but lift his arm, let her tired head rest on his chest, and lay his arm back down around her. He soaked in this quiet moment while he finished his beer and allowed himself to pretend that this was his life; even if it was just for a couple hours.

Just before the two hour alarm was about to ring, Dean gently rolled Scarlett back to the other side of the bed and retrieved his arm. He smirked at himself as he thought about how this was the first time in his life he had pushed a woman away from him in bed, but he knew that this was not that kind of sleepover.

"Scarlett?" He said, rubbing her shoulder. "Are you in a coma?"

Scarlett giggled and it made Dean smile.

"Not a vegetable yet." Scarlett said with her eyes still closed.

"Okay, talk to you in two more."

"Mhm…" Scarlett yawned and sighed before drifting back to sleep.

Dean hoped that her sleep-cuddling was a habit.

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xxxxxxxxx adult content xxxxxxxxx

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 _I trail kisses from his shoulder up to his neck, the smell of spearmint and aftershave enticing me. I gently bite his chin: he lets out an involuntary grunt - I love that sound. I sit up from kissing him and run my hands from his chest down his perfect abdomen. Settling onto his pelvis from a straddle position, I slowly grind circles with my hips. I watch his piercing green eyes fill with lust as he grows harder beneath me. I close my eyes and let out a soft moan as I feel my clit swelling with pleasure. At this, he sits straight up. His right hand grasps my left ass-cheek as his left hand pulls me by my hair, directing my head to the right so he can lick and suck at my neck. The pace of my hip-circles quicken and I feel my wetness soak through my panties; his full erection pressing into me. I moan again, this time causing him to flip me onto my back; he hovers over me like a cage. His left hand still in my hair, he holds my face while petting my cheek with his thumb. He leans in and kisses me deeply as his right hand slips into my drenched lingerie. He uses the base of his palm to rub my throbbing clit and pushes two fingers deep into my wet hole. I groan into his ear and he pulls back to look at me; a wicked smile plays on his face. He rapidly pulses his fingers on my g-spot until I come; I shout his name at the height of my climax, "Oh, DEAN!"_


	4. Chapter 4

It was 5AM and Dean was just about to wake up Scarlett for the last two hour interval when he noticed her stirring.

A soft moan came from her mouth, "Dean...unhh."

He smiled, knowing exactly what kind of dream he was staring in, and decided that was enough proof of life for him. He reset his alarm for 9AM, turned off the infomercial he'd gotten sucked into watching, and laid down next to Scarlett.

The sound of birds chirping outside caused Scarlett to slowly awaken. Snuggled up to a warm body; she took a deep inhale. She expected the scent of her long-time boyfriend and fiancé Jeremy, believing for a moment that the events of the past two days were just a bad dream, until her sleepy brain registered the male aroma that actually greeted her: spearmint and aftershave; a combination that triggered her sense-memory. Scarlett's eyes shot open as she realized she was cuddled up to Dean, who happened to have made an explicit appearance in her dreams last night. She gently removed herself from his unconscious embrace, careful not to wake him, and sat up in the bed. She looked back down at Dean, still laying on top of the duvet, he was as close to the perfect male specimen as she could imagine. If only she hadn't met him right when she was ending a seven year relationship...hell, better yet: before she had even started a relationship with that lying, cheating, bastard; she would have made last night's dream a reality right then and there. However, life was not that kind and she had- hopefully life saving- supernatural sleuthing to do with Dean and his brother. Scarlett popped a couple more Tylenol and headed downstairs to make a pot of coffee.

Sam woke up to the sound of knocking; someone was at Scarlett's front door. As he got up to check who it was, he heard Scarlett answer it. "Hello officer." Sam decided to wait. They talked for a bit and then the officer left.

Sam exited the master bedroom into the livingroom. "Who was that?"

"Oh, good morning!" Scarlett smiled from the kitchen. "Just the local police; they came for my statement about the accident for the boy's insurance. They thought I'd still be at the hospital."

"Ah…"

"Your brother's asleep upstairs, do you want some coffee?" Scarlett was already pouring him a mug.

"Sure." Sam smiled and took a stool at the kitchen bar. "So how are you doing with the whole… everything?"

"Eh, I'm dealing I suppose," she went to hand him the mug, "one thing at a ti-AUUGHH!" Scarlett dropped the mug, shattering it on the tile as she screamed in pain.

"Scarlett?!" Sam rushed over to her.

"AAAAUGH!" Scarlett screamed again and grabbed her head her legs buckling beneath her.

Sam caught her as Dean rushed downstairs.

"What is it?! What's going on, Sammy?!" Dean grabbed Scarlett from his little brother and carried her to the couch.

"I don't know! She was fine and then she just-this!" Sam explained his voice thick with worry.

 _A woman lay sick in a hospital bed, covered in red sores. The room is outdated, it appears to be around the turn of the twentieth century. The woman starts convulsing and two nurses in white smocks run in to steady her. The seizing subsides and the woman looks to one of the nurses.  
_ " _Henry…" She barely gets out a whisper before her eyes roll to the back of her head and her labored breath ceases.  
One of the nurses calls out for a Doctor, but it is too late: the woman is dead.  
_" _Mary Collins, time of death: 9:30 PM October 13th, 1889." The doctor says._

"Scarlett? Scarlett are you with us?" Dean's voice pulled Scarlett back to the present.

"Fuuuuck." Scarlett groaned as she sat up slowly.

"What did you see?" Asked Sam.

"Mary Collins." Scarlett said.

"Who is that?" Asked Dean.

"I don't know, old-timey lady died with sores all over her. October 13th, 1889."

"Smallpox." Sam said.

"Right, but if they burned their bodies how's this gal's spirit sticking around?" Dean contemplated out loud.

"Scarlett, was there anything else from your vision you remember?" Sam asked.

"Um… yeah, her last words before she died: Henry."

"Henry? It's not much." Dean looked to his brother.

"More than we had yesterday." Sam offered.

"Alright, let's go to the county health department and see about getting the death records." Dean said.

"Actually," Scarlett interjects, "the state took over birth and death records here; you'll have to go to Olympia."

"Well how far is that?" Sam asked.

"About two hours."

"Well then we better get a move on. Are you okay here for a few hours?" Dean looked to Scarlett.

"Here in my home where I live as an adult? Yeah. I'm good." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Alright Kelly Clarkson."

"What?"

"Cause you're Miss Independent-never mind. It's not funny when I have to explain it."

"Or just not funny." Scarlett smirked.

"Hah, she's got your number." Sam chortled.

"Oh yeah? Scarlett, how'd you sleep last night?" Dean shot back.

Scarlett blushed. "So you best be going then!" She rushed the boys out her front door.

"Yeah, yeah. We're going. Take this though, just in case." Dean tossed Scarlett a flask.

"In case of what? A party?"

"No, there's holy water in there. In case Jeremy's possessed."

"This will fix him?"

"No, but it'll hurt." Dean explained.

"And find some salt or iron, it'll disrupt a spirit." Sam added.

"Ok, got it: holy water, salt, iron." Scarlett checked off. "Now go on."

"And take this," Dean tossed her his cell as they walk out. "Call 'Mr. Raimi' if ANYTHING happens."

"Who is that?" Scarlett calls after them.

"It's me." Explains Sam.

"Sam Raimi. Hah." Scarlett snickers to herself as she shuts the front door.

"So, what was that about how she slept?" Sam asked as he and Dean got into the Impala.

"That's for me to know and you to dot-dot-dot, brother."

"...right. So we better stop by the Motel and pack up." Sam said.

"Yeah, I could use a shower and change."

"Same."

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xxxx shout out to the vampire diaries fans xxxx

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THE FOLLOWING SCENE MAY BE TRIGGERING TO VICTIMS OF ASSAULT

After the boys left, Scarlett went upstairs to turn down the guest room when she received a call from a blocked number.

"Hello?" She answered.

" _Scar?"_ It was just a whisper, but she could tell it was Kaylin.

"I have nothing to say to you." Scarlett was about to hang up when she heard a desperate cry from the other end.

" _WAIT! Please, I know you don't want anything to do with me-"_

"You're damn right."

" _I know, and I'm sorry, but it-it's Jeremy. He's...he's not right, Scar."  
_ Scarlett wanted to be petty and hang up on her backstabbing so-called 'friend', but she knew that this might actually be life or death so she let Kaylin continue.

"Is he with you? Do you feel endangered?"

" _He...he- the way he's acting- he's been drinking. I got away as quickly as I could...I'm locked in my bathroom. I'm pretty sure he left, but I don't know."_

"Kaylin, are you hurt?"

" _He-he-he's not himself. He didn't mean it."_

"Kaylin, listen to me. You need hang up and call the police, or I will-"

" _NO!"_

"Kaylin, you have to if you're injured-"

" _No, I mean- yes, I'll call. But I called you because I think- if he left he might be coming to you. He was drunk and screaming about you and how you can't leave him and he's so strong, Scar. You have to get-"_

"SCARLETTYOUBITCH! GETOUT'ER!" Jeremy's booming slur came from downstairs.

"Kaylin, he's here. Call the police for me." Scarlett hung up and searched her pockets for Dean's cell, then quickly dialed 'Mr. Raimi'.

"SCAAAARLETT...COME OUT, COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!" Jeremy called as he stomped up the stairs.

"C'mon, c'mon." Scarlett begged the ringing phone as she ducked behind the side of the bed not facing the door.

"You ok?" Dean's voice finally answered just as Jeremy's hand reached down from above Scarlett and snatched the phone away: slamming it shut.

"I don't think so!" He pocketed the phone.

"Jeremy, what are you doing here?" Scarlett shot up from the floor and quickly ran around Jeremy, who was laying on across the bed, to the doorway.

"Just came to patch," He paused to hiccup, "things up."

"There is nothing to 'patch up'. We're over." Scarlett said, quickly exiting the doorway and heading downstairs.

"C'mon, Scar!" Jeremy called after her, "It ain't over 'til the ring's off your finger!" Jeremy stumbled down the stairs.

"You know what, you're right!" Scarlett agreed as she reached the living room.

"I am?"

"You sure are," Scarlett removed the engagement ring, "here! Take it, I don't want it." She threw the ring at him.

"YOUBITCH!" Jeremy dropped to the floor and fumbled around for the ring.

"God, you're wasted! I can smell the whiskey from here."

"I...am...not!" Jeremy says through two more hiccups.

"You are and I want you out!"

"THIS IS MY HOUSE, DAMMIT!"

"Fine! I don't really care, to be honest. You stay, I'll go." Scarlett said while heading for the door.

"NO!" Jeremy grabbed Scarlett's arm, pulled her back and jumped in front of the door. "We're not done until I say we're done!" Jeremy locked the door behind him.

Scarlett dashed to the kitchen counter where she had set down Dean's flask.

"Get away from me!" Scarlet said, holding up the flask.

Jeremy cackled. "Or what? You'll pour me a drink?" Jeremy cornered her against the kitchen counter.

"No, I'll do this!" Scarlett took off the lid and splashed the holy water at Jeremy.

Nothing happened. "Are you TRYING to piss me off?!" Jeremy growled before backhanding Scarlett across the face.  
Scarlett fell back and caught herself on the counter.

"That's it, isn't it? You're trying to punish me for having Kaylin. Well I DESERVED HER after putting up with YOU! We all know what a little SLUT you are!" Jeremy said as he shoved her up against the counter. "Two guys, Scar? Really? You're not even worth marrying." He whispered into her ear, the smell of alcohol from his breath surrounded her.  
Scarlett kneed Jeremy in the groin and pushed him away from her. As he fell to the floor, Scarlett tried to run for the front door.

"YOU STUPID WHORE!" Jeremy grabbed Scarlett by the ankle and pulled her feet out from under her; causing Scarlett to smack her already injured head against the tile and taking the wind out of her.

Jeremy climbed on top of Scarlett, who was starting to black out.

She felt him rip her pajama bottoms down. "Jeremy, STOP!" She attempted to focus her vision.

Jeremy sat back on top of Scarlett's legs as she writhed beneath him. She tried to punch him, but Jeremy caught her fist, grabbed both of her wrists in one hand, and pinned them above Scarlett's head.

"You act like a dirty slut, you get fucked like a DIRTY SLUT!" Jeremy screamed in her face as he unbuckled his pants.

"No! PLEASE, JEREMY! STOP!" Scarlett cried.

"That's right, beg!" Jeremy laughed. "So pathetic without your two boyfriends here to save you." Jeremy masturbated above a sobbing Scarlett. "They left you here like the worthless, used-up whore that you are."

Jeremy was about to force himself inside Scarlett when a translucent woman appeared next to them.

"What the fuck?!" Jeremy fell backwards, startled.

Scarlett used this opportunity to try to crawl away.

The lights strobed. The kitchen cupboards, windows, and front door began to open and slam shut over and over again. Jeremy stood up and the woman flickered before reappearing right in front of him.

"I-I'm not scared of you!" Jeremy shouted at her.

The television and radio both turned on at full volume.

"This is MY house, BITCH!" He screamed into the din.

"Henry..." The woman whispered as she grabbed Jeremy's shirt by the collar.

Just as Scarlett was about to pass out, she saw the translucent woman pull Jeremy through the house and out the front door at an impossible speed. The door and all the windows shut and locked themselves as Scarlett gave into unconsciousness.

.

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Dean tore down the small-town neighborhood streets of Port Townsend, WA; racing to Scarlett's house.

"Dude, slow down! We don't even know if there's anything wrong!" Sam pleaded as he braced himself inside the rocketing Impala.

"There's something wrong, Sam. I can feel it." Dean insisted, tightly gripping the steering wheel in one hand and Sam's phone in the other.

"So we should die in a car accident because you can 'feel' it?"

"Why would she call only to hang up?"

"Maybe she didn't mean to."

"Okay, then why wouldn't she answer ONE of the MILLION return calls I've made since?!" Dean shouted and hit redial on the cell.

"I don't know man, at least watch where you drive- oh shit."

"You were saying?"

The brothers pulled up to Scarlett's house where there were three squad cars and an ambulance parked out front.

Dean ran up. "Hold on sir, this is official-" A policeman tried to stop him from entering.

"I'm family." Dean pushed past him and into the house.

"I'm… he's my brother." Sam have the officer an apologetic look as he followed inside.

"...and then he just left." Scarlett was sitting on her couch, wrapped in a blanket, and giving a female officer a statement while a paramedic dressed her reopened head-wound.

"He just left?" The officer asked.

"Yes."

"You know, you can tell me if anything further happened." The policewoman tried to be delicate. "I can't help you if you don't tell me." She said with compassion in her voice.

"No...I know, but he didn't. He was going to...but he didn't." Scarlett's voice shook.

"Scarlett!" Dean rushed in.

"Excuse me, sir. You can't-" The officer began to protest his presence.

"No, it's fine." Scarlett interrupted. "He's my…brother."

"What happened?" Dean asked as Sam walked in.

"Jeremy… I'll tell you on the way to the hospital." Scarlett said.

"The hospital?" Sam asked.

"My stitches opened up."

"That son of a bitch!" Dean grumbled through clenched teeth.

"Do you have everything you need from me?" Scarlett turned back to the officer.

"Yes ma'am." The policewoman and paramedic packed up and left the house.

"So what happened?" Dean asked as soon as the door was shut.

"He was just drunk. That flask didn't work."

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

Scarlett paused at this question. Okay? She wasn't sure she knew what that word meant anymore. "I'm alive." Scarlett sighed. "It could have been much worse if…" She shuddered thinking about the scene the police could have walked in on.

"If?" Dean pushed.

"I think Mary Collins' spirit was here." Scarlett continued.

"What? You saw her?" Sam asked.

"I think it was her; I can't be sure, she wasn't covered in pox."

"Did she hurt you?" Dean asked.

"No, the opposite actually. She saved me…she pulled Jeremy out of the house before I passed out."

"Why do you think it was Mary?" asked Sam.

"Right before she grabbed him, she called him Henry."

Dean looked to Sam. "Do you think...?"

"It's rare, but it happens." Sam shrugged.

"What's rare? What happens?"

"Spirit possession." Dean Explained.

"You mean...it could have not been Jeremy?"

"Maybe." Sam said.

"But the holy water...?"

"Only hurts if it's a demonic possession;" Sam explained, "if it's a spirit you have to get them to ingest salt or touch something iron."

"Wow, I think I need to sit down."

"You are sitting." Dean pointed out.

"Right...so he might not have cheated on me."

"Maybe." Sam said.

"Okay, so what are we waiting for? Let's go over to his grandmother's house and get that fucking thing out of him!" Scarlett jumped up, but was soon taken over by a dizzy-spell and collapsed back onto the couch.

"Hold on, the first thing we need to do is get you back over to the hospital to restitch your head. After that, I still think we should check out the birth and death records. We're not doing anything half-cocked."

"What if he hurts Gretta? We can't just do nothing-"

"Alright, alright. Sam will take you to the hospital and drop me off to go check on grandma." Dean agreed and tossed Sam the keys to the Impala.

The three were quiet on the ride to Gretta's home and Dean didn't break his focused silence when he got out of the Impala either. As Sam drove off with Scarlett, Dean wasted no time letting himself into the house.

"Hey, Gretta. Just here for Jeremy." Dean announced as he walked in on her in the front sitting-room.

"Huh?" She looked up from a pipe she was lighting. "Oh you're one of those boys from yesterday."

"Yeah, say...would you mind if I just helped myself to a glass of water?" Dean started to walk towards the hall.

"Boy, I already told you I don't have time for your young whims!" Gretta exhaled her smoke at Dean.

"Right…" He walked to the kitchen.

Dean was a pretty simple guy; not in a remedial kind of way; more in a direct, black-and-white, efficacy-over-proficiency kind of way. His gut lead him and he trusted his instincts more than any theoretical possibility; and right now his gut was telling him Jeremy was scum: end of story. Dean grabbed a half-empty bottle of Dawn dish soap off of the kitchen sink and filled it the rest of the way up with water from the tap. Next he fumbled through Gretta's cabinets and cupboard looking for salt, which he found, and poured a healthy amount into the bottle before twisting the squirt-top back on.

Stomping down the stairs, Dean burst open the basement door to find Jeremy sitting on the futon shaking in shock.

"What's up, dirtbag?" Dean grabbed Jeremy by the back of his head and decked him in the face again. "Hope you're thirsty!" He shoved the bottle of soapy salt water into Jeremy's mouth and squeezed until there was nothing left.

Jeremy swallowed some by surprise, but choked and coughed up the rest. "What the fuck?!" Jeremy pushed Dean off of him and began throwing punches.

"Yeah, just what I thought," Dean ducked his swings and kicked Jeremy in the stomach, "you're just human garbage." Dean said as Jeremy fell back onto the futon.

Dean started back up the stairs when he heard Jeremy coming after him. Grabbing the banister, Dean kicked his booted-heel behind him: straight into Jeremy's mouth; Jeremy tumbled backwards down the stairs before blacking out on the basement floor, covered in his own blood.

"What happened?!" Gretta was walking towards the stairwell when Dean emerged.

"Oh, you know how clumsy Jeremy can be. I think he may have slipped; better go check on him." Dean exited the home as Gretta descended to the basement, starting his walk to the hospital.

"So, how'd it go?" Sam was in the waiting room when Dean finally arrived.

"100% human."

"Man, how are we going to tell Scarlett?" Sam hung his head.

"Tell me what?" Scarlett emerged from the patient wing.

"Hey, you're all stitched up!" Dean smiled.

"Tell me what." Scarlett insisted.

Dean's smile dropped.

"Jeremy was clean; no possession." Sam filled her in.

"That can't be right." Scarlett furrowed her brows and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but it's true." Dean confirmed.

"Well you're wrong."

"Not wrong, I poured the salt down his throat myself." Dean assured her.

"Well you messed it up somehow, he's probably still possessed!"

"Scarlett, I know it's hard to accept but-" Dean started when

*SMACK* Scarlett's hand crashed across Dean's cheek.

"You don't know SHIT!" Scarlett asserted with tears welling in her eyes.

She started to storm out of the hospital when Sam grabbed her hand as she passed, gently pulling her back. "Scarlett, it's dangerous-"

Scarlett shoved Sam off her and Dean grabbed his brother's shoulder. "Let her go," Scarlett shot Dean a pained expression, "we'll wait in the car."

She walked outside, the boys waited a beat and then followed before getting into the Impala.

A few minutes later Scarlett returned to the parking lot and let herself into the backseat. Dean started the car and the three took off on another silent drive headed to Olympia.


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, so it's $20 for a death record if you have the date and location, which would be fine except the records only go back to 1907." Sam said, returning to the doorway where Dean and Scarlett stood staring at the ceiling and the floor, respectively.

"Shit." Dean muttered.

"See if they have census records for earlier." Scarlett suggested quietly, still extremely interested in her feet.

Sam walked back to the receptionist who got up and indicated for them all to follow her. She lead the three to a small library and file room with two desks: one held a computer that looked like it probably ran Windows 95.

"You can search our database here, though not everything has been scanned in yet," she pointed to the computer, "the written state census ledgers for each county are in these books here." She pointed to the shelves. "Good luck." She exited.

"How did you know about these?" Sam asked, taking a seat at the computer.

"My mom is really into genealogy, she used to do stuff like this for fun." Scarlett explained as she scanned the book spines, pulled out one labeled '1889', and took a seat at the empty desk.

"I found the pox deaths," said Sam, "but looks like the mass cremations were way before Mary, back in 1862 to 63."

"I found a census report for Henry Collins, married...Mary isn't reported though." Scarlet said.

Dean and Sam huddled around her to see the page.

Scarlett touched his name with her finger and traced along the page as she read aloud, "October 14th, 1889: Henry Collins age 35 died in a house fire…" She trailed off.

Scarlett's eyes rolled to the back of her head, her body slumped in the chair, and she fell to the right before Dean caught her. He pulled her off of the seat and laid her down on the ground.

"Henry…" Scarlett whispered before she started shouting in pain.

"Shit, the receptionist!" Sam looked to Dean.

"I got it, here...cover her mouth or something." Dean left Scarlett with Sam and exited the room to go flirt with the girl at reception.

 _A strong-jawed man with severe brows and light eyes, his sandy hair thick with pomade, walks over to a woman in a long-sleeved and high collared cream dress; she is facing the fire.  
He turns her to face him, it's the nurse that was with Mary when she died.  
_" _Henry, I should not be here. It is not decent." She says to him, worry in her eyes.  
_ " _I think that consoling a grieving widower is one of the most decent things imaginable." He takes her hand.  
_ " _Even ignoring what my father would do to you, and me, if he ever found out...she has only just died yesterday."  
_ " _Yes, she has; which only reminds me that life is too short. Rebecca, we have hidden for too long. Today we can be free, we should be celebrating."  
_ " _How can you celebrate when your wife has just died?"  
_ " _Because I am in love! Mary was a societal match; you, my darling Rebecca, you are the only girl I have ever loved."  
_ " _Oh, Henry!"  
Henry kisses Rebecca in front of the hearth. The windows and doors of the house fly open and a cold wind takes out the fire.  
_" _Henry…" the spirit of Mary Collins appears before the startled couple.  
_ " _AAAAAHHH!" Rebecca screams and runs from the home.  
_ " _M-M-Mary!" Henry was shaking as he took in the image of his dead wife before him.  
Mary's ghost howls and the house starts to shake.  
_" _St-STOP!" Henry shouts at her.  
The doors and windows shut and the house is still.  
_" _Now be gone, wicked woman!" He continues.  
The fireplace explodes with flame and Mary's ghost screeches.  
_" _You do not frighten me, Mary! You never have!"  
The fire jumps from the hearth and up the walls.  
_" _This is MY house!"  
_ " _And you will be trapped here as I was; and die here as I died here every time you forced your hands upon me, you wicked man." Mary's ghost says in a spiteful tone, mocking Henry's earlier insult to her.  
_ " _You cannot keep me here!" Henry runs to the door but his body is flies backwards and is pinned up against the wall, hovering off the ground.  
_ " _LET ME DOWN!" Henry kicks in the air.  
Flames engulf the home and Henry screams as his flesh melts from his bones._

"Scarlett? Scarlett?" Sam's voice came through the grotesque scene.

Her eyes focused as Dean entered the room.

Dean pocketed a small piece of paper and handed a plastic cup to a fuzzy-headed Scarlett.

"Water."

"Thank you."

They made eye-contact for the first time since she slapped him.

Sam cleared his throat. "So, what did you see?"

"Uhm," Scarlett took a moment to digest her latest vision, "Henry was having an affair with the nurse that tended to Mary on her deathbed. It sounded like he'd...taken advantage of Mary before she died...her spirit set fire to their home and trapped him inside."

"Ouch. Hell hath no fury..." Dean shook his head.

"Looks like he has a headstone, no body, 'placed next to wife in Laurel Grove'." Sam was back at the census book.

"Looks like we found Mary." Dean said.

"Great, I'm going to go to the restroom and I'll meet you guys out at the car." Sam quickly slipped out of the room.

"Can I help you up?" Dean held out his hand to Scarlett.

"Sure." She took it.

Scarlett lead the way out of the building and into the parking lot.

As they reached the car Scarlett turned back towards Dean. "I owe you an apology."

"You really don't." Dean replied.

"Yes, I do; and I _am_ sorry."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. You did absolutely nothing to deserve it; the opposite, if anything."

"And what's the opposite of a slap in the face?" Dean smirked.

"Hey, you guys are talking; fantastic." Sam interrupted. "What did I miss?"

"Just me doing some warranted groveling."

"Well, don't beat yourself up too much." Sam pat Scarlett on the back.

"Why's that?"

"Trust me, a slap in the face from a woman was definitely karma in action."

"C'mon, man!" Dean objected.

"I'm just saying; it was inevitable!" Sam laughed.

"You guys better start calling me Rodney, 'cause I get no respect!"

"Alright Sam, Mr. Dangerfield: get in the car. Let's get going." Scarlett urged the brothers.

"So, what exactly do we do once we get there?" Asked Scarlett.

"Well…" Dean started.

"First we have to exhume the remains." Sam finished.

"You mean…?"

"Dig up her corpse." Dean put it bluntly.

"Blech!" Scarlett shuddered. "Okay...and that does…?"

"Nothing, but we have to salt and burn her bones to get rid of her spirit." Sam clarified.

"And what happens to her spirit?"

"That, darlin', is above our pay-grade." Dean shrugged.

"I think they move on to where they should have gone in the first place: somewhere at rest." Sam postulated.

"I feel kind of bad…" Scarlett admitted.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Cause she's kind of doing a public service?" Dean suggested.

"Well, yeah." Scarlett agreed. "I know I'd be worse off without her help."

The boys sighed; they knew that navigating this particular topic may not end well for either of them. Sam was the first to try.

"I'm not disagreeing...but her soul is trapped here. She should be allowed to find peace."

"I guess that's true." Scarlett looked out the window. "I wonder how many lives she's saved, though, probably more than enough to make up for…"

"Killing Jeremy?" Sam guessed her train of thought.

"Would that be so bad?" Dean interjected.

"Dean!" Sam shot his brother a shocked expression.

"What? It's not like the world would miss one less-"

"No." Scarlett interrupted. "He belongs in prison, not...murdered. I won't have his death on my conscience. I want no ties to him whatsoever."

"Exactly." Sam nodded.

"So tonight: we burn the bones." said Dean.

"We burn the bones." Scarlett solidified.

"So, Scarlett…" Sam began a thought.

"Yeah?"

"Earlier you mentioned your mother…"

"Uh-huh. And?"

"And, well, remember when I told you that I only had visions of people like me?"

"Sure."

"See, most of those people...well, uhm-" Sam struggled with the topic.

"Dear God, is your mom dead, or what?" Dean blurted out.

"DUDE!" Sam punched him in the shoulder.

"What? We'd be here all day with you stuttering like an idiot."

"I'm sorry about him." Sam apologized. "But...is she?"

"Um, no. She's alive."

"But you were born in '83 like Sam, right?" Dean asked.

"No, 1980."

"Hah- you're still the baby." Dean pinched Sam's cheek.

"I am not!" Sam swatted away his brother's hand.

"Why are you asking me this?" Scarlett got back to the point.

"The last three psychics I've had visions about were all born at the same time as me and two of their mothers had died when they were 6 months old, like me."

"And you haven't had visions of other people?" Scarlett asked.

"Well, yes...but they were all connected to me somehow...the people who live in our childhood home, Dean, another mother with a 6 month old baby the yellow-eyed-demon was going to kill."

"And what happened to the other psychics?"

Sam fell silent.

"Two are dead and one is missing…" Dean admitted.

"Great."

"But you don't follow the pattern...if that helps." Sam offered.

"I can't say it does." Scarlett said.

"Don't worry, we're not going to let anything happen to you." Dean assured her.

It was pitch black when the trio arrived back in Port Townsend; perfect for grave desecration. Dean drove them to Laurel Grove and they all got out of the car.

"You don't have to come." Sam said.

"I'm coming, I owe her." Scarlett contended.

"Alright."

Dean tossed Scarlett a flashlight. "Why don't you see if you can find her?"

Scarlett headed into the cemetery while Dean and Sam hung back to grab shovels, a bag of salt, lighter fluid, and matches from the trunk of the Impala.

As she traipsed through the back half of the cemetery plots, Scarlett tripped over a root. A hand reached out in the darkness and Scarlett took it, assuming it was one of the boys. She dusted herself off while the helping-hand pulled her off the ground and, when she looked up, she saw the spirit of Mary Collins glowing in the moonlight. Taken aback, Scarlett took a moment to register what she was seeing. "Thank you." Scarlett said with tears in her eyes.

Mary gave her a soft smile, kept Scarlett's hand, and lead her to her own headstone; the two brothers not far behind. Scarlett and Mary stood hand-in-hand as they watched the boys unearth her coffin, salt her remains and set them ablaze. A few moments into the fire Mary looked off into the distance, as if someone were calling her name. Scarlett felt her clasp release, her spirit radiated a warm brilliant light, and eventually faded into darkness. Scarlett let a few tears fall before wiping her face and steadying her breath.

"Ready to go?" She asked the brothers.

"How about we get a drink?" Dean suggested.

"How about we get two?" Scarlett amended.

"How about I drive?" Sam added.

"That's the best idea you've had all week." Dean tossed Sam the keys.

Scarlett directed the boys to a pub downtown called Sirens.

"Is this your favorite place?" Dean asked.

"I don't know, I never really get a chance to go out." Scarlett admitted.

"You've lived here for a year and haven't checked out the bar life?"

"Not everyone parties like you, bro." Sam teased.

"I don't 'party', I'm not a frat-boy; I just like to let off a little steam is all." Dean defended himself.

"Let's do some shots!" Scarlett said, pulling both of the boys to the bar.

"Now we're talkin'!" Dean smiled.

"Three shots of Milagro Anejo." Scarlett told the bartender. "Chilled with salt and lime."

"You got it." The bartender nodded.

"Uh, make mine a water!" Sam corrected.

"Aw, c'mon!" Scarlett lightly pushed Sam's shoulder.

"Someone's gotta stay conscious tonight." Sam laughed.

"Fine," Scarlett relented, "three shots and a water."

"I'm not going to do that shot." Sam held out.

"I know, I am." Scarlett grinned.

"Alright, better make it four then." Dean said.

"Four shots: Milagro Anejo, chilled, salt, lime; and one water?" The bartender repeated.

"Final answer!" Scarlett agreed.

The bartender lined up the shots and Scarlett handed him her Visa. "Keep it open."

"What should we drink to?" Dean asked.

"To Mary Collins." Scarlett raised up her first shot.

"To Mary Collins." Dean and Sam lifted their shot and glass, respectively.

"Whew!" Scarlett exclaimed, putting down the empty shot-glass and picking up the second.

"Alright, and this one is to us." Dean said.

"To us!" Scarlett and Sam agreed.

"Okay next round is on me." Dean said and ordered them drinks.

The trio found a pool table in the back and Scarlett suggested a game of cutthroat.

"So, now that Mary's at rest, what's going to happen tomorrow?" Scarlett asked Sam while Dean racked the pool balls.

"I hate to say it, but Jeremy's probably still going to drive a truck through your living room."

"Oh well, not really planning on staying there anyway."

"Is that so?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I mean: Port Townsend was never really my desired destination in life."

"So what's next for you?" Sam inquired.

"I don't really know...I haven't had a break since...well I can't remember when I've ever had a break really."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked as he broke.

"Well I started a college program in high school that got me a full ride to UCF, went from there to grad-school at Cornell, graduated and went straight into working days at the animal hospital here in-town during the week and nights at the trauma center in Poulsbo on the weekends. I've been saving up for the wedding and a down payment on the house so I'm thinking I'm taking a fucking break!"

"Cheers to that!" Dean said and the two clinked beer bottles before taking a sip.

"Where do you think you'll go?" Sam asked as he took his turn at the table.

"I don't know!" Scarlett laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Dean smiled at her.

"Cause I don't think I've ever not had a plan in my life!" Scarlett took her turn.

"Well, since you were a kid, surely." Sam expanded.

"No! Even then! My mom's what you might call a 'free spirit', which is perfectly fine...but when I was a kid I just wanted to have some kind of...I don't know…"

"Stability?" Sam offered.

"Exactly!" Scarlett took another sip of her drink. "I remember I started forming some kind of idea of how I wanted things to go when I was a grown up when I was maybe five...it's just been a checklist of how to get it since then."

"And what's the endgame?" Dean asked.

"Friends, family, love...white picket fence, 2.5 kids, and a golden retriever?"

"Sounds good to me." Sam said.

"But now, I just want to fit as much life in as I can before I settle-down. I don't even know where I want to settle down. Maybe that's what I'll do: tour the country and figure out where 'home' is." Scarlett finished her beer. "I'm going to get another, Dean?"

"Yeah, I'll take one."

"Sam?"

"Still none."

"Suit yourself."

Scarlett came back with a round of shots.

"We're dying tonight, aren't we?" Dean chuckled.

"No, we're living!" Scarlett raised her glass with Dean. "L'chaim!"

"To life!" Dean said and they both took their shot.

Dean woke up the next morning surrounded by the smell of citrus and rose. His eyes flickered open and he noticed his vision was obstructed: Scarlett's dark auburn hair engulfed his face. He sat up slowly, his entire body ached; the two had apparently spent the night on her living room floor. Scarlett was in nothing but a gray t-shirt, socks, and a pair of blue and white cheekster panties. Dean quickly looked down at himself: only boxers. He wiped his hand from his forehead to his chin, stopping to rub his eyes, and tried to piece together what transpired the night before. Looking around, he saw playing cards scattered across the floor and his memory flashed with broken images: the two of them buying champagne at Safeway, walking back to her house in the dark, playing strip-poker, and passing out on the floor.

"Thank God." Dean said to himself.

"Ohhh," Scarlett began to move, "my head." She sat up.

"Yep." Dean hung his own head in agreement.

"I need all of the water." Scarlett said through a groan, her eyes not fully open, as she got off the floor and headed to the kitchen sink.

Dean couldn't help but admire the view of Scarlett walking away. Her underwear creased in between her round cheeks and her perky ass bounced as her hips swayed. Just as Dean contemplated how perfectly her butt would jiggle after a quick smack and how soft her skin might feel in his hand, he felt himself stir beneath his boxers. Quickly he jumped up and raced to the master-bathroom to save himself from an awkward moment...and to relieve himself.

After downing two full glasses of water, Scarlett was feeling more awake and realized she was missing her pants. She spotted them beneath an array of playing cards and relief washed over her as she remembered the events of last night.

"Thank God!" She mumbled to herself and retrieved her bottoms from the floor, swiftly donning them before Dean returned.

Dean emerged from her bedroom in only a pair of green plaid boxers. Scarlett slowly took in the image of his toned body from head to toe. The bright morning sun shone in from the window and bounced off of his golden skin in a way that highlighted every perfectly carved muscle on his body. She trailed her gaze back up from his athletic legs to his sculpted abdomen, along his strong arms and across his broad shoulders, up his stubbled neck to his square jaw; she loitered on every inch of his Adonis-like figure until she reached his expressive green eyes, which she found staring straight back at her with immense self-satisfaction. Scarlett blushed, knowing she was caught.

"Interesting night." Dean smirked as he grabbed his jeans from the back of a chair.

"Yeah," Scarlett cleared her throat, "is Sam still asleep?"

"He wasn't in your room, I guess he's upstairs." Dean pulled his shirt on.

"I'll make us some coffee."

"Brilliant." Dean joined Scarlett in the kitchen and took a look in her fridge. "How about some eggs?"

"Scrambled, pleased."

"Comin' right up." Dean took out the eggs and milk.

"How is extra bold?" Scarlett asked as she set up the coffee maker.

"Sounds perfect." Dean reached above her for a bowl. "Fork?"

Scarlett lightly backed up against him to reach into the drawer in front of her. "Here you go." She turned to face him, fork in-hand.

They paused for a moment, both focusing on the lack of space between them. Dean slowly took the fork from Scarlett, his hand lingering on hers for two deafening heartbeats. Scarlett's gaze drifted to Dean's mouth and she mindlessly bit her bottom lip, the sight of which caused Dean to swallow loudly and involuntarily. Scarlett followed his Adam's-apple, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and composed herself.

"Bagel?," Scarlett asked.

"What? Uh-yes..."

The two quickly turned away from each other, Scarlett heading to the breadbox for bagels to toast and Dean to the counter to whisk the milk and eggs.

The two sat down to breakfast and waited for Sam to wake up.

"So," Dean started between bites, "were you serious last night?"

"About?" Scarlett asked.

"Wanting to tour the country?"

"Oh, definitely. I was thinking of packing a bag today, actually."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Just dodge the whole Jeremy fiasco all together."

"Probably a good idea."

"Yep."

"Last minute plane tickets are kind of expensive."

"Oh, I'll take a Greyhound. Planes and I don't really mix."

"Fear of flying?"

"I wouldn't say 'fear', more like total incapacitating terror."

"I see...you know," Dean looked down at his plate, "Sam and I would be happy to ride you- DRIVE you- we could give you a lift to the next place you want to go. Since we're in-between cases right now, I mean."

"Really?"

"Yeah, plus it would give us some time to figure out what your connection to Sam is, make sure it's not old yellow-eyes."

"I mean, yeah, I'd love to come with you."

Dean cleared his throat. "You know it's not glamorous, being on the road; lots of motels and drive-thrus."

"The American Dream." Scarlett snickered.

"Some days."

"And you're sure Sam won't mind?"

"Sammy? Are you kidding? He'll love it."

"Awesome, I'll start packing!" Scarlett jumped up from the table and ran to her room as Dean helped himself to seconds.

Scarlett got out the suitcase from her closet and began thinking about the most versatile clothes she had and what she would save if there were a fire and went from there.

"You're pretty good at suitcase Tetris for someone who doesn't vacation." Dean stood in the doorway.

"Well, my mom is a musician, so growing up we'd do the festival circuit during summer break from school. When you're camping out of the car for two months, you kind of figure out what's necessary and what's just baggage."

"I hear that. Music festivals, huh? That must have been pretty cool."

"Sure; I mean music is such a huge influence in my life, and those summers definitely contributed to that, but it's a pretty… intense scene for children."

"Yeah, I bet. Have you done one as an adult?"

"Actually, the year I graduated from UCF my mom heard about this one starting up in Tennessee, Bonnaroo, so we hit that. It was definitely a different experience being of age. I've gone back every year since."

"So I guess you do vacation." Dean joked.

"Yeah, I give myself one long weekend a year." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"I wonder if Sammy would ever go to something like that with me."

"Speaking of which, he sure is sleeping in today."

"I bet we kept him up last night being loud." Dean shrugged.

"I do get rowdy after tequila. But I'm gonna hop in the shower; why don't you go see if he wants some coffee."

"Good idea." Dean headed upstairs.

Scarlett was just getting into the shower when she heard Dean call into her bedroom. "Hey, Sam's not upstairs! The Impala's still here so I'm going to walk down to that corner cafe and see if he's there!"

"Alright!" Scarlett acknowledged.

Dean returned just as Scarlett was getting out of the shower and wrapping a towel around herself.

"Are you decent?" Dean called from the open doorway of her bedroom.

"Enough; what's up?" Scarlett walked out of her bathroom, wringing the excess water from her hair with a hand-towel.

"Sam wasn't at the cafe," Dean walked in from the threshold, "and he's not answering...his...phone…"  
Dean felt his concern take a back seat for a second as Scarlett came into view. A small white towel barely covered the intimate parts of her body, her porcelain skin was flush from the hot shower, and steam radiated from her mostly-exposed figure. Dean was watching beads of water slowly slip down Scarlett's smooth frame when her voice broke his trance.

"He can't have gotten far, Port Townsend's only so big. Maybe he went to- AUUGH!" Scarlett bent over in pain.

Dean rushed to her aid, grabbing Scarlett to keep her from collapsing.

 _Scarlett and Dean are playing quarters at the bar of Sirens when Sam walks up to them.  
"Hey guys, I'm gonna head out, do you want to ride with me?"  
"Nahhh, we can walk! Right Scar?" Dean slurs.  
"It's a beautiful night!" She agrees.  
"Okay. I'll have my phone if you need me." Sam pats his brother on the back and nods to Scarlett, leaving Sirens.  
Sam drives back to Scarlett's house and lets himself inside, heading straight for the couch._

"It's Sam!" Scarlett managed to get out in between sparks of pain.

"Wha-" Dean's voice cuts out.

 _It's pitch black out and Sam is walking down the main highway that runs out of Port Townsend. A hatchback comes from around the bend, going his direction. Sam sticks out a thumb and the car pulls off ahead of him. Sam runs towards the parked car.  
"Where are you headed?" A young man asks through a rolled-down passenger window.  
"Everett."  
"Get in, I'm going to Kingston."_

When Scarlett returned from her vision she was sitting on her bed, her back propped up against Dean's chest, and his arms around her.

"Scarlett?" Dean asked as she quickly stood up. "Where's Sam?"

"He was hitchhiking to Everett."

"What? Why?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. It was last night."

"Okay, get dressed. We gotta go." Dean said, pulling out his cell to dial his brother again.


	6. Chapter 6

This will be the first chapter that I'm starting to integrate into the plotline of an actual episode (leading up to S02E14) so I apologize in advance for anything that's not exactly parallel; as I stated in the overall story summary, I'm not sure how closely I'll follow the original show arc. That being said, I'm open to any edits/suggestions if you catch something that I change that will majorly disrupt the character development of Sam and/or Dean.

xoxo Thanks for reading!

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Scarlett woke up to the vibration of the Impala's tires running over the rumble strips between the edge of the highway and the shoulder.

"Dean!" Scarlett grabbed the steering wheel and straightened their trajectory.

Dean's tired eyelids shot open. "Fuck! I'm sorry!"

"Pull over."

"We can't, Sammy-"

"Will be all alone in the world if you die on the side of a highway in Montana."

"DAMMIT, SCARLETT!" Dean hit the steering wheel. "He's my brother, I'm not stopping until we at least get to Bobby's!"

"For fucks sake, DEAN!" Scarlett yelled back. "I'm not asking that you forget he ever existed, I just want you to let me drive! You've been going for 14 hours; now, PULL OFF!"

"Oh." Dean sighed. "Yeah, fine."

"Good. Next exit is for Billings, let's stop, get some gas, and we can switch."

"Sure." Dean evened out a bit. "Look, I'm sorry. It's just-"

"I know: he's your brother. Don't worry about it; just watch the road."

Dean turned on his brights and tried hard to focus on getting to the gas station. He took exit 450 off of I-90 and headed for a giant red sign that read 'Conoco'.

"I'm gonna hit the head." Dean said, getting out. "Will you fill her up?" He handed Scarlett a credit card.

"Sure thing." Scarlett took the card and got out of the Impala.

"Premium!" Dean called as he walked into the gas station mart.

Scarlett looked at the AmEx he handed her. "Charles Bandigraffe?" She read aloud in a confused tone. Deciding now wasn't the time for questions, Scarlett swiped the card at the pump and gassed up the Impala.

Dean returned to the car with a bag full of snacks, already halfway through a Slim-Jim.

"Ok, now that this girl is full," Scarlett motioned to the Impala, "this girl is going to go empty." Scarlett pointed to herself and trotted towards the restroom.

Scarlett got back into the Impala, this time in the driver's seat, with her own bag of goodies. She looked to Dean; he had his jacket balled up between his head and the window, his arms were crossed, and his snack bag was spilling across his lap: he was already passed out. Scarlett cleared the junk-food off of him and stuffed it under the seat before placing her own purchase on the floor of the back-seat. She got back on I-90 and followed the road signs to South Dakota.

Dean woke up to a sunrise in the distance and Scarlett singing along with the radio. 'Thirteen' by Big Star was playing. Scarlett's airy and angelic voice sang an octave higher than the recording, pitch perfect and harmonizing with Alex Chilton's vocals.

"...Rock 'n' Roll is here to stay. Come inside, well it's okay; and I'll shaaaake yooou. Ooohoo."

Dean grinned as he watched Scarlett tilt her head side to side in-time with the guitar plucking, humming along with the melody as she went. A pleasant look was on her face and the pink-orange glow of the dawn outlined her silhouette like an aura.

"Won't you tell me what you're thinking of," Dean jumped in.

Scarlett looked at him and smiled. "Would you be an outlaw for my looooooove?"

"If it's so, well let me know." Dean sang back.

"If it's no, well I can go." Scarlett answered.

"I won't maaaake yooou." Dean crooned.

They sang the last harmony together, "Ooohoo." and for a short second Dean forgot there was anything other than contentment in the world.

"We're about 5 hours from Sioux City." Scarlett informed him and Dean quickly remembered all that was wrong with the world; including, but not limited to, his missing little brother.

"Ready for me to take the wheel?"

"Yes, Jesus!"

"From Big Star to Carrie Underwood in 30 seconds; not sure how to feel about that."

"I feel fine about it."

"Big fan, huh?"

"Not particularly; but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate her as an artist. Pop-country isn't really my scene, but anyone who denies she's talented is either deaf or a liar."

"I guess I can agree with that."

Scarlett pulled into a rest stop off the highway where three other cars were also doing the pee-and-switch.

Dean was waiting in the driver's seat when Scarlett returned from using the facilities.

"Ugh, I'm starving!" Dean announced as he pulled back onto the highway. "I think there's some food down there, could you hand me a Twinkie?" He pointed toward the passenger's seat floor.

"First of all: I would hardly call Twinkies 'food'," Scarlett reached behind her seat for her bag from the gas station, "second of all: I hid your bag of junk."

"What?!" Dean looked at Scarlett in shock.

"Eyes on the road!" She exclaimed and pulled out a banana from the bag. "Eat this first and I'll consider handing you a Twinkie after."

"What is this: communist China?!"

"Yes, Hu Jintao and I are both very concerned with the potassium deficiency of the public." Scarlett handed Dean a partially peeled banana.

"Fine but, after I eat this, I think you'll find that I'm Hostess-snack-cake deficient." Dean took a bite of the fruit and turned his attention back to the road.

When he noticed Scarlett trying to get in a comfortable sleeping position, he turned off the radio.

"No, leave it on." She ordered.

"You sure? I don't mind…"

"I don't either. I'll sleep better with it on."

"If you say so." Dean switched it back on and tuned it, trying to find a station he liked; he stopped on one playing 'Ventura Highway' by America.

"Oooh perfect." Scarlett said, settling in and closing her eyes. "I love this song in the car."

"Same here." Dean agreed.

Scarlett felt herself lose consciousness somewhere between picturing clouds shaped like 'alligator-lizards' and the Beckley-Peek harmony.

Dean tried Sam's cell again. No answer. He didn't know why the hell Sam would pull this again, not after how badly it went with Gordon and Ana. He tried Bobby.

 _"Any word?"_ Bobby answered on the first ring.

"Nope. So I guess he hasn't shown up there, then."

 _"Why're ya whisperin'?"_

"Scarlett's asleep."

 _"Now, who's this girl, ag'in?"_ Bobby's voice sounded hesitant.

"Sam had a vision about her, we took care of a vengeful spirit job for her."

 _"'N' she's havin' visions of yer pasts...and Sam's impromptu hitchhikin'?"_

"I know what you're getting at; she's clean, Bobby."

 _"You're positive?"_

"Of course! Look, we'll be there by 5 PM."

 _"Alright, guess I'll see."_

"See you soon, Bobby."

Dean clapped shut his cell, looked over to check that Scarlett was still sleeping, and then returned his gaze to the empty road ahead. The truth was he wasn't 'positive' about Scarlett how Bobby meant. Bobby was asking if he'd doused her with holy water...which he hadn't, but he didn't need to test her to be sure. He looked over to her again. The sun came through the windshield and caressed her peaceful face; her long, thick eyelashes cast shadows down her creamy cheeks and the small translucent hairs on her skin caught in the light, making her appear to be shimmering. No demon could radiate that kind of natural beauty. He was sure: Scarlett had nothing to do with his brother's disappearance.

Something was off about it, though; he didn't know what but he had that feeling in the pit of his stomach like before a big fight. Whenever Sam ran off before he always left a trail or a pattern. Dean knew his brother, he knew how he thought, and this time it was like he just vanished. Without Scarlett's vision he wouldn't know what to think. Dean was hoping Bobby might know a way to help Scarlett trigger another one so he could find Sam.

Scarlett awakened as they pulled up to a two-story sky-blue house amidst a junkyard.

"Perfect timing, Sleeping Beauty." Dean said.

She sat up, adjusted her shirt, and smoothed her hair. "Woah…"

"What?"

"Just… it's like really intense Deja Vu."

"You've seen this?"

"Yeah, you and Sam were playing here as kids. You didn't want to stop…" Scarlett practically jumped out of the car mid-park and ran around to the side of the house. "And this is where you were beating up the Impala!" She yelled back to Dean as he got out of the car.

"Yep...that… happened." Dean wasn't keen to relive that memory.

"Sorry!" She ran back to him. "It's just so wild! Like walking into a dream!"

Bobby came out from the house. "What's with the hollerin'?"

"And you're Bobby!" Scarlett reached for his hand and shook it eagerly.

"Jeez, did I become mayor 'n' no one told me?" Bobby raised his eyebrows at Dean.

"No, she just got up from a nap."

"Hah! Sorry, I'm just not used to this whole 'psychic' thing yet. Y'know?" She let go of Bobby's hand. "I'm Scarlett, by the way."

"Nice to meet 'ya. C'mon in and I'll get you kids somethin' to eat."

"So you're psychic, huh?" Bobby asked Scarlett over a plate of fried chicken.

"I guess, I thought I was just having like dreams with recurring characters until they showed up in real life all 'ghosts are real and you're gonna die!' and whatnot."

"You seem to be taking the existence of the supernatural pretty well for a civilian."

"Well, I suppose I've always thought there was something bigger out there than...just us. Plus there hasn't been much time to think about it."

"Right, speaking of," Dean began, "Bobby, I was hoping you maybe knew something about how to help her control her psychic power or whatever. Just to help find Sam? She does seem to have some kind of connection to him."

"Well, I can't think of anything off the top of my head; but let me do some research."

"Great, and if it's not too much trouble, I was hoping Scarlett might stay with you while I head to Nebraska? Someone might know something at The Roadhouse."

"What?" Scarlett was surprised.

"Of course." Bobby agreed.

"Bobby will keep you safe, don't worry." Dean assured Scarlett.

"Safe? Safe from what? What's going on?"

"Nothing, yet… it's just that things tend to get a little hairy sometimes and I don't think you're ready to be out in the field yet."

"The field?"

"Yeah, Scarlett. Hunting is our job. Sammy and I don't roadtrip for vacation."

"Like me…" Scarlett huffed. "You were the one who asked me to come with you, remember? Before you even knew Sam had left! Not the other way around!" Scarlett got up and took her plate to the kitchen.

"You what?!" Bobby was shocked to hear that Dean had recruited Scarlett as a passenger.

"Scarlett, wait!" Dean followed her into the kitchen.

"You're ditching me." Scarlett had her back to Dean and was rinsing her plate at the sink. "And I can help. I want to help." she turned around to Dean with her head hanging.

"I know you do, and you will." Dean squeezed her shoulders. "I'm not ditching you. Look at me." Scarlett looked up and tried her best to hide that she'd gotten misty-eyed -which always happened when she was frustrated. "The best way for you to help is by staying safe and hopefully having another vision. When a hunter goes missing it's usually a job gone wrong, and Sam is my little brother. He's my responsibility and I have to make sure he's safe too. And to do that I can't also be worrying about...a civilian." Dean chose his words carefully.

"Okay." Scarlett took a deep breath. "When are you leaving?"

Dean looked at the tile. "Now."

"Fine. I'll stay here and research with Bobby… but you keep your phone on and charged and ringer all the way up."

"Always."

"So what kind of research are we doing?" Scarlett asked Bobby after Dean left.

"We're not."

"What do you mean? I thought you said-"

"I didn't want to say in front of Dean; I wanted to give you a real choice in the matter."

"What matter?"

"I do know how you can get a better...knowledge of your powers, but it ain't gonna happen overnight and it's very dangerous."

"What do you mean?"

"Best case scenario, you're a Natural. You could start studying witchcraft-"

"Witchcraft? Hold on, I thought I was a psychic."

"Six in one, half dozen in the other. If you wanna control the supernatural and use magic: that's witchcraft, darlin'."

"And what did you mean when you said you want to give me a 'real choice'?"

"Openin' yourself up to that kind of power is incredibly dangerous and seductive...Sam is Dean's only family, there ain't nothin' that idjit's not doin' for that boy. I wanted you to know what risk you were takin' on."

"I'm not interested in a power-trip; I just want to help Dean- I mean Sam - I mean Dean to find Sam; you know what I mean." Scarlett blushed at her Freudian slip.

"Yeah, I suppose I do." Bobby smirked. "Alright, wait here. I've got some things in the attic that might help."

Bobby returned with three giant musty books that looked to be a thousand pages each.

Scarlett took one from him and opened to the first page. "What are these?" Scarlett coughed as dust flew everywhere.

"I've collected a few grimoires over the years."

"Grimoires?"

"Like a journal of spells and potions a witch makes."

Scarlett flipped through and giggled. "I still feel like I'm in an episode of Buffy."

"No, this is real. I need you to take this seriously." Bobby gave her a stern look.

"I'm sorry. I do… it's just, it's all still kind of amazing to me. You know, when I was young I used to think I was crazy."

"You're still young, but why was that?"

"I used to have déjà vu like all the time and actually remember information I couldn't have known...I just chalked it up to coincidence and intuition but now, I don't know, it's like I'm seeing myself for the first time."

"So you've had abilities longer than this past year?" Bobby asked.

"I guess so, but I've only seen Sam and Dean and their family for the past year."

"Since Sammy started having his abilities…" Bobby mumbled to himself.

"What?"

"Oh nothin'. Just take a look through these for anything of use." Bobby walked Scarlett and the books into his study. "I'm going to make some calls, get some more eyes in the community lookin' for Sam." Bobby walked into the kitchen.

Scarlett flipped through the first grimoire, noting pages entitled 'Astral Projection' and 'Binding a Reaper'.

"There's more than one Reaper?" She asked no one in particular.

The night grew darker and Bobby's calls got shorter until he had no more left to make.

"Find anything?" Bobby asked as he reentered the room.

"Not that I could tell, a lot of it is nonsense to me." Scarlett sighed.

"Well, I suppose I should get you settled into a room. It's late; we can pick this up in the morning." Bobby motioned for her to follow him upstairs.

As they walked up the stairs, Scarlett remembered something. "Ugh, Dean left so quickly, I forgot all my stuff in the Impala!"

"Well, this is usually Dean's room and I think he leaves a bag here. Check under the bed, yer a tiny one, I'm sure he wouldn't mind you usin' somethin' of his to sleep in. We can go into town tomorrow and get you anything else you need." Bobby opened a door to a guest room.

"Okay, thank you."

"Not a problem. Bathroom is down the hall to the right and I'm downstairs off the study; if you need anything at all just holler."

"Alright, good night."

"Night." Bobby left her.

Scarlett checked under the bed and, sure enough, there was a small brown duffle. In it she found a black Led Zeppelin T-Shirt with a white outline of their iconic angel on it that was perfect for sleeping in; she changed. Scarlet laid down and settled into the bed, Dean's scent lingered in the sheets and on the shirt she wore. She'd never been one to pray, not out of lack of faith but more from not knowing who or what she would be talking to; however, tonight she prayed. She prayed for another vision, for Sam's safe return, and for Dean's peace of mind.

 _Dean winces in pain while a sweet-faced blonde girl tends to a wound on his right shoulder._  
 _"Hey, Dean?" She starts.  
_ " _Yeah?"  
_ " _I know demons lie, but do they ever tell the truth, too?"  
_ " _Uhh..yeah, sometimes, I guess; especially if they know it will mess with your head." He takes a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle. "Why do you ask?"  
_ " _Nothing...it doesn't matter."_

Scarlett tossed in bed with dreams of Dean that felt more like visions.

 _Dean walks into the guest room at Bobby's house usually designated for him. Scarlett is sleeping in his Led Zeppelin shirt. He pauses at the threshold for a moment before walking in and sitting on the bed next to her. He brushes some hair from her face and sighs._

Scarlett woke up, hoping her dream had been reality: it wasn't. She closed her eyes and tried to get back to sleep, but she couldn't. She'd really only met the Winchester brothers four days ago, but having spent the past year living through their memories she felt so connected to them. Calling them 'visions' wasn't right, it made them sound so one dimensional: like she was watching some film reel; but that's not how it was. Each psychic episode was like being dropped into someone's very being; she didn't just see what was happening, she felt every emotion. The confusing part of her 'visions' were the literal visuals. Usually everything was virtually unrecognizable, except for the emotions: those were so perfectly clear and completely undeniable as if they were her own. Scarlett could not experience that level of empathy for someone and then think of them as strangers, she just couldn't. So, too worried for the Winchester boys to sleep, Scarlett got up. She rummaged through Dean's bag again and pulled out some gray sweats to put on. She returned to the study, almost tripping over the baggy pants, to go through the grimoires; only to find Bobby already doing the same.


	7. Chapter 7

A significant portion of this chapter will be directly quoted from Supernatural season 2 episode 14 "Born Under a Bad Sign" for continuity; I did not write it and it is in no way my intellectual or artistic property.  
xoxo Thanks for reading!

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Bobby woke up from sleeping at his desk to the buzz of his cell phone; it was Dean on the caller-ID.

"You find him?" Bobby answered.

" _Sort of. I just got off the phone with him. He's in Twin Lakes."_

"Wisconsin?"

" _Yeah."_

"What's he doin' there?"

" _I'm not sure yet, he sounded...off on the phone. I don't have a good feeling about this one, Bobby."_

"Well, keep your wits about ya and let me know if you need backup."

" _Always do; how's Scarlett?"_

Bobby looked over to the girl asleep on his day-bed in the study, a grimoire covering her face. "She's asleep."

" _Still? She's usually an early riser as far as I can tell."_

"Well, she had a late night."

" _You find out how to help her with her visions?"_

"You could say that."

" _Great. Well tell her I said hi, or that's stupid, nevermind, don't tell her I said anything. Or tell her I found Sam. Anyway, you know what to tell her. I'll keep you posted."_

Bobby laughed, he'd never heard Dean so flustered. "Alright, watch your back, ya idjit."

They hung up as Scarlett arose.

"Was that Dean?" Scarlett pulled the book from her face.

"Yep."

"What did he say? Is he alright? Did he find Sam? Are they coming back?"

"Gimme a second to answer, girl. He's fine, he found Sam, he's going to pick him up in Wisconsin. Don't know when he'll be back yet, sounds like there might be a job there."

"Oh, ok."

"Why don't you get some real sleep upstairs, now that the research ain't so needed."

"Yeah, my sleep schedule's been kinda off these days."

"Comes with the territory."

"Apparently."

Bobby nodded to Scarlett as she headed back up to the guest room. After Scarlett was safely out of sight, Bobby began rummaging around his study for the few texts he had on psychics and witches. He also pulled out his laptop and logged into Intellenet: an international intelligence network he'd gotten access to since becoming a licensed private investigator; searching for any pertinent information on Scarlett Hart. He hypothesized that Sam and Scarlett were somehow psychically linked and, not one for surprises, he intended to know how and why.

Scarlett woke up that evening hungry. She got out of bed and put on her clothes from the day before. Just as she was about to head downstairs she fell backwards onto the bed, her head felt as if someone were cutting straight into it with a hacksaw.

 _Sam and Dean are in a dark motel room with tacky 60's decor. Sam is looking at Dean with tears welling in his eyes.  
_ " _Here, you gotta do it." Sam puts a Beretta into Dean's hand.  
Dean looks at his brother and then to the pistol. "You know, I've tried so hard to keep you safe."  
_" _I know." Sam agrees with a pained expression.  
Dean looks back up at Sam, glassy-eyed, and shakes his head with resolve. "I can't. I'd rather die." Dean drops the gun and walks away from Sam.  
_" _No. You'll live." Sam says.  
Dean turns around to look at his brother's back. Sam slowly picks up the gun and turns to Dean who looks at him with concern.  
_" _You'll live to regret this." Sam says ominously before pistol-whipping Dean.  
Sam watches Dean fall to the motel-room floor unconscious before walking out to the parking lot to get into an old black VW Bug._

Bobby heard Scarlett shouting and ran upstairs. He found her scrunched up in the fetal position on the bed, clutching her skull and shrieking in pain.

"Scarlett?!" He rushed to her side and tried to get her to sit up.

"Dean…" Scarlett whimpered before she appeared to black-out.

Bobby attempted to shake her awake. "Scarlett!"

 _Sam is in a saloon-like bar. He sets a record on an old jukebox; 'Crystal Ship' by the Doors starts to play. Sam drags a chair over to a large wooden post in the center of the room. He walks over to the bar where the same sweet-faced blonde girl from Scarlett's dream is lying unconscious. Sam picks up her limp body, carries her to the chair, and props her up in it. The girl wakes up as Sam ties her arms behind her and around the post.  
_ " _What the hell's going on? What are you doing?" She says with a furrowed brow through gritted teeth.  
_ " _So, what exactly did your mom tell you about how your dad died?"  
_ " _You're not Sam." She spits.  
_ " _Don't be so sure about that. Answer the question." Sam walks around and takes a seat in front of her. "Come on." He pulls out a large knife and lightly traces the blade down her cheek._

Scarlett's eyes flickered open and she saw a concerned Bobby looking over her; shaking her body. She tried to stay conscious but the vision pulled her back.

" _You really don't know the truth, do you?" Sam chuckles gleefully. "I bet your mom doesn't either."  
_ " _Know what?" The girl bites.  
_ " _You see...Bill was all clawed up. He was holding his insides in his hands. He was gargling and praying to see you and Ellen one more time." Sam relishes in the gory details. "So my dad killed him. He put him out of his misery like a sick dog."  
_ " _You're lying!" The girl shakes.  
_ " _I'm not. It's true." Sam assures her. "My daddy shot your daddy in the head." Sam sang the last part like a taunting child._

Scarlett returned to the present.

"Ya with us?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah." Scarlett groaned as she sat up.

"Here, I'll git ya some water." Bobby rushed out of the room and returned with a cup. "So, was that a vision?" Bobby asked as Scarlett took a sip.

"Apparently." Scarlett nodded.

"What'd'ya see? I heard ya mention Dean."

"I don't know. It was a lot. Sam pistol-whipped Dean."

"What?!"

"But I don't think it was Sam?"

"Whatcha mean?"

"There was also a girl, she said 'you're not Sam' to him. I saw her in my dreams last night too."

"What girl? Did you get a name?"

"No...but I could probably draw her."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty good at portraits and I never forget a face."

"I have some paper and pencils in the study." Bobby got up and Scarlett followed him downstairs.

"Alright, while you're drawing, go over everythin' in your dreams and visions real carefully." Bobby directed and Scarlett did just that.

Bobby pulled his cell from his pocket. "Could ya tell if you were seein' the past or the present?"

"I don't know." Scarlett admitted. "I've only ever seen the past before...but my dreams last night and these visions now, the order of events...they all seem jumbled up."

Bobby tried to get Dean on the phone. "Dean ain't pickin' up."

"What do you think is going on?"

"I'm thinkin' Sam is under Demonic possession."

"Jesus."

"Jesus ain't got nothin' to do with it."

"Alright, I'm done." Scarlett showed Bobby the portrait of the blonde girl. "I was kind of rushing. Do you recognize her?"

Bobby dialed another number.

 _"Horvelle's Roadhouse, this is Ellen."_

"Hey Ellen, it's Bobby."

 _"I haven't seen Sam and Dean left at the crack of dawn this morning."_

"Yeah, I know. Was wonderin' if you knew where Jo was."

 _"Jo? What's she got to do with this?"_

"I don't know but I got it on good authority she might be in danger."

 _"What?! From what?"_

"I'm not sure, but I think Sam might be possessed and heading her way. Do you know where she is?"

 _"Last postcard was from Duluth, Minnesota."_

"Alright, I'll send Dean that way; see if Ash can't track her phone's GPS, get'n exact location on her."

 _"ASH! Thank you Bobby, I'll call you back."_

Bobby hung up and tried Dean again, he reached his voicemail again. "Dean! Call me back immediately, ya idjit! It's about Jo." He hung up.

"So, who is Jo?" Scarlett tired to sound nonchalant.

"Her mama owns a roadhouse hunters tend to gather at, her dad sometimes worked with Sam and Dean's."

"Until…" Scarlett recalled her vision.

"That's right." Bobby said in a grave tone.

Bobby's phone rang, it was Ellen.

 _"She doesn't have the same cell anymore, Ash can't find her. I can't get ahold of her, Bobby. Have you talked to Dean?"_

"Not yet; I know he ends up there with her, though."

 _"What're you talking about?"_

"Just trust me on this."

 _"Bobby, this is my daughter."_

"I know, Ellen. We'll find her."

 _"Dammit, you better!"_ Ellen hung up.

Bobby called Dean all night with no answer while Scarlett researched a scrying spell she found in one of the grimoires: hoping it would help to trigger a vision of a location, but she was not practiced enough in her magic. The next morning Bobby was all set to leave Scarlett at his home and head to Duluth himself when Dean finally returned his call.

"Dean!" Bobby answered.

 _"What's wrong with Jo?"_

"Scarlett had a vision. Sam knocked you out and headed out after Jo. Had her tied up in some bar waving a knife in her face."

 _"Well, he already cold-cocked me last night. I just woke up. Where's Jo?"_

"That's just it, no one can find her."

 _"Don't worry. I got access to Sam's phone GPS. I'll know anywhere he goes. I'll make sure she's safe."_

Dean hung up.

"God! I feel so useless!" Scarlett steamed in frustration.

"You're definitely not useless, darlin'."

"What good is being a psychic or a witch or whatever if I can't control what I see?"

"You've already done plenty good."

"Bobby, I need to know what kind of danger learning how to use magic really entails; I want to be able to do the witchcraft that will actually help instead of just hoping for clues to accidentally pop in my head."

"Well it ain't that witchcraft is inherently bad, as long as you're practicing white magic. It's just that the power of it is so potent. People lose themselves in that kind of high and they're willing to do anything to feel it again...even black magic."

"What is the difference?"

"Well magic always comes at a cost. White magic keeps in tune with the natural order of things: you don't try messin' with things that ain't actually in your power. Black magic steals power from places outside of you and changes the world in selfish ways. The problem is that even if you start out doing white magic, the power is like a drug and black magic is an easy and robust fix."

"I want to think I would be able to control myself."

"Look, I can't stop ya, you're already pretty involved; and if you wanna do witchcraft I'd rather you learn it responsibly to give you yer best chance at control. Just know that if you ever slip...well, let's just say that hunters do what they hafta to serve the greater good."

"I understand."

"Why don't you read through these grimoires some more. I think that last one'll give you a good idea of the madness that can consume you. They're not just spells and potions, these are their journals. Look at how the types of entries progress, what kinds of magic they're doing, what kind of purposes they serve, what kind of sacrifice they require. Black or white magic, it always comes at a price; look at what price they are willing to pay."  
Scarlett took the grimoires up to the guest room to study some more, this time really taking in the timeline of the growth of these witches' powers.

That evening Scarlett came across a page in one of the grimoires entitled 'Herbology for Divination'. She rushed downstairs to show Bobby the list of herbs that help to induce psychic visions and dreams.

"A lot of this stuff is a no go 'mugwort, damiana'? But I'm pretty sure yarrow and dandelion flowers...I think those weeds're growin' in the yard."

"Let's make some tea!" Scarlett couldn't hide her excitement.

The two went out into the night to pick weeds and then returned inside to boil tea out of them. Scarlett drank three cups just to be sure and then they waited. Twenty minutes later Scarlett still felt nothing.

"Ugh. I'm starting to think this magic stuff is bullsh-ohhhh!" Scarlett grabbed her stomach. "Fuck!" She doubled over out of her chair and fell to the floor.

 _Dean walks into a dark warehouse on a dock and stealthly creeps around its corners, looking for someone._  
 _Sam appears behind him and pulls out the Beretta. Dean looks over the edge of the dock before he hears Sam. As Dean turns around, Sam shoots him point-blank. Dean falls over the side of the dock and into the water below. Sam walks to the edge to check the water; Dean never resurfaces._

"Dean!" Scarlett comes back to the present and vomits on the floor of Bobby's kitchen before another vision takes over.

 _Sam is standing in front of Bobby's house. He walks slowly and quietly to the back and clips the power line before returning to the front. He knocks on the door and Bobby answers. Sam smiles._

Scarlett came to covered in her own sick.

"What'd'ya see?" Bobby asked her as he handed her a napkin.

She wiped her face and started to tear up as she tried to find the words.

"What?" Bobby's anxiety grew.

"...He...he shot him." Scarlet dropped her head and closed her eyes, fighting back sobs.

"Who? Who shot who?!"

Scarlett started to cry.

Bobby shook her. "Who, Scarlett!"

"Sam! Sam shot Dean! Straight on! He shot him and he fell into a lake…." tears ran poured down her face. "And he's coming here next."

"You're sure?"

"Yes!" Scarlett cried.

Bobby looked horrified. "G-g-go clean yourself up."

Scarlett went upstairs to wash her face and rinse her mouth. She changed out of her disgusting clothes and back into Dean's shirt and sweats before returning downstairs.

"Bobby, what do we do?"

" _We_ don't do anything. You go upstairs and don't come back down until I say, y'hear?

"But-"

"NO BUTS, git!" Bobby pointed to the staircase.

Scarlett was going to argue, when she started feeling dizzy. "Bobby…" her vision became fuzzy, "I don't feel...so...good-" Scarlett collapsed on the floor.

"FUCK!" Bobby screamed out of frustration.

He picked up Scarlett, brought her up to the guest room, and laid her in the bed. He rushed downstairs to the kitchen and looked at the field notes from the potion page Scarlett made the tea from.

 _'Causes nausea, vertigo, and temporary loss of consciousness first five times of use for each herb'_

"Fuckin' witches." Bobby grumbles to himself.

He pulls two beers out of the fridge and quickly pours holy water in each before setting them on the counter.

Eight knocks came from the front door: Sam was already there.

Bobby answered to a smile from Sam.

"Sam!" Bobby smiled back.

"Hey, Bobby." Sam's smile warmed.

"It's been a while." Bobby teased.

Dean chuckled.

"Come on in." Bobby opened the door wider to let Sam in. "So what brings you?"

Sam walked into the study and Bobby followed behind.

"Working a job near by and thought I'd stop in and say hey." Sam stopped and turned around to Bobby.

Bobby walked past him and headed for the kitchen. "Where's Dean?"

Sam chortled and stayed in the study. "Holed up somewhere with a girl and a 12-pack."

"Oh yeah, is she pretty?" Bobby called from the kitchen and grabbed the two beers he'd prepared just before.

"You ask me, he's in way over his head."

"Well, it's good to see ya." Bobby handed Sam a beer.

Sam took it.

"To John." Bobby held out his bottle.

"To dad." Sam toasted and they both drank.

Sam coughed out smoke and fell to the floor in pain. "What'd you do?!"

"Little holy water in the beer; Sam never would have noticed." Bobby stood over Sam's crumpled body. "But you aren't Sam, are you?" Bobby said disdainfully. "Don't try to con a con man." Bobby punched Sam in the face and knocked him out cold.

He dragged his body into the study and tied him to a chair below a Devil's trap he had drawn on the ceiling.  
Bobby waited for Sam, or possessed-Sam rather, to wake up so he could look the demon that killed his pseudo-son in the eye while he exorcised it back to Hell.

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Dean left the bar where his almost-flame, Jo, had bandaged him up after a demonically possessed Sam shot him in the shoulder. He knew 'Sam' was targeting hunters in the area and the next closest one he knew about was Bobby; where Scarlett was also. He jumped in his Impala and dialed Bobby's cell to give him a heads up: no answer; he tried his home phone: still no answer. What the fuck was Bobby doing, picking flowers?  
Dean had a six hour drive ahead and demonic-Sam had about a thirty minute head start. Dean shuddered to think about all of the things a demon could do with Sam's body in thirty minutes. Sam was easily stronger than Bobby and Scarlett stood absolutely no chance. He tried to focus on making up some of the difference on the road instead of on all of the brutal ways the demon could hurt Scarlett if he found out it was her, not Jo, that he...but he couldn't think like that. Bobby was a skilled hunter and he knew that Sam may be possessed. Bobby would have a plan.

When Dean finally arrived at Bobby's house the lights were all out, confirming his suspicion that Sam had cut the line. He ran up and burst through the front door: prepared for a fight with the Demon but instead finding himself face-to-barrel with Bobby's shotgun.

"Thank God!" Bobby grabbed Dean and pulled him into a bear hug, tears welling in his eyes. "You scared the shit outta me, boy!"

"Same here! Your line's out; I thought I was too late. Sam is-"

"Here."

"What?"

"Tied up under the Devil's trap."

"And Scarlett?"

"Upstairs. She's alright, but she passed out after her last vision: which was of you getting shot and left for dead, by the way."

"Yeah." Dean rubbed his right shoulder. "Jo patched me up."

Bobby raised his brows at Dean.

"It wasn't like that." Dean assured him. "You set up for the exorcism, I'll be right back; I just gotta see her." Dean rushed upstairs.

"She's in your room!" Bobby called after him.

Dean opened the door to his room and there was Scarlett, asleep: just as Bobby promised. Dean stood in the doorway and took in the sight of her there, her petite frame was swimming in his favorite Led Zeppelin shirt. He sat down next to her on the side of the bed and brushed the hair from her face; she was perfect, not a hair on her head was harmed. All of those horrible scenarios his brain had run through on the drive there melted into nothingness and he let out a sigh of relief. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead. She stirred awake.

"Dean?!"


	8. Chapter 8

Scarlett could smell Dean in her sleep. She felt herself waking, but she couldn't bare to open her eyes. She feared that the moment she did she would hear Bobby confirm her last premonition: that Sam had been possessed and that he had shot and killed Dean. There in bed at least she could dream of him and that intoxicating musky-minty combination. She could almost feel him next to her. She leaned into her imagination and followed where her dreamy mind lead. He brushed her hair from her face, his warm hand cupped her cheek. She even felt her body sink as he leaned in to gently kiss her head. It was too overwhelming, dreaming of things she would never get a chance to have. Scarlett begrudgingly pulled herself back to reality and opened her eyes. Two impossibly green eyes stared back at her and Scarlett's heart stopped. It couldn't be him, she saw him...die. She saw his shoulder, he had been shot, but he was here. It was him! He was ALIVE!

"Dean?!" Scarlett gasped.

A crooked smile came across his face. "You look like you've seen a ghost." He chuckled.

Reflex took over and Scarlett reached up, grabbed him around the neck, and pulled him in to kiss her: hard.

Dean was shocked, but more than happy to indulge in the moment. Scarlett sucked at his top lip and he lightly licked her bottom. She breathed in and he breathed out. Her hands trailed into his hair and his grabbed at her waist. She bit his bottom lip and let out a small sigh before wrapping her legs around him. He massaged from her waist to her ribs, slid his left hand firmly around her back and sent the right to her thigh that was gripping him tightly; he swiftly flipped them both around so she was sitting on top of him and their kiss deepened. Her hands tugged at his hair and he fervently rubbed up and down her back. She lightly traced from his head to his neck and then clawed at the chest of his shirt. Dean ran his right hand through her hair and then pulled, forcing her to break their kiss. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and stroked her cheek with his thumb. She closed her eyes and turned her face to nuzzle his palm; she opened them to see him scanning her face with his peridot eyes, his soft lips were slightly parted and his breath was ragged. A well of emotion bubbled below her surface and two tears escaped her eyes. Dean sat up and kissed her softly.

"Why are you crying?" He asked in a low whisper.

"I thought you were dead." She quietly replied.

"I should die more often." He teased and Scarlett hit him playfully.

"Thats. Not. Funny!" She said between light slaps at his chest.

"But you're smiling!" He grabbed her by the forearms and used his legs to flip them once again, pinning her to the bed.

Dean looked down at Scarlett smiling, there was still so much emotion behind her stormy hazel eyes. His face fell and he remembered the job he still had to do. He moved himself off of her and sat up on the edge of the bed.

"What is it?" Scarlett asked as she ran a comforting hand down his back.

He twisted to look back to her. "Stay up here and don't come downstairs until Bobby or I get you. Okay?" Dean got up and adjusted himself.

"It's here, isn't it?" Scarlett referred to the demon possessing Sam.

Dean sat back down and grabbed Scarlett's shoulders. "Look at me." Dean demanded. "You don't leave this room no matter what you hear, okay?" He said sternly.

"Okay." Scarlett agreed and Dean got up to leave.

He walked to the door and, his back still to Scarlett, he answered: "Yes, _it's_ here." Dean exited the room, silently closing the door behind him.

Dean walked downstairs and joined Bobby in the study.

"You ready" Bobby asked.

"As I'll ever be." Dean looked at his brother's limp body tied to a chair and thought about how the demon inside him did the same to Jo. "HEY!" He smacked his possessed brother across the face.

'Sam' groaned as it regained consciousness, taking in its surroundings. It looked to Dean, who looked up; the demon did the same and it recognized the Devil's trap above it.

'Sam' scoffed and said with a smirk, "Dean. Back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

"How about I smack that smartass right outta your mouth?" Dean replied.

"Careful now, wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging."

"Oh, don't worry; this isn't going to hurt Sam all that much." Dean picked up a bucket full of holy water. "You on the other hand…" He splashed the water onto 'Sam' who winced and groaned in pain as it started to smoke and sizzle. "Feel like talkin' now?!"

"Sam's still my meat puppet; I'll make him bite off his tongue!"

"No, you won't be in him long enough." Dean sneered. "Bobby."

Reading from a book, Bobby began chanting in Latin while Dean and 'Sam' stared daggers at each other.

"See whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up: you're not getting Sam." Dean got into 'Sam's face. "You understand me? Cause I'm gonna kill every one of you first!" Dean promised.

Bobby continued to chant.

'Sam' screamed in pain and it's groans turned into a cackle.

Bobby stopped chanting.

"You really think that's what this is about: the master plan?" It asked. "I don't give rat's ass about the master plan!"

Dean nodded to Bobby and he resumed changing.

'Sam' gave dean an unamused look. "Oops! Doesn't seem to be working." It teased and Bobby stopped chanting once again. "See, I learned a few new tricks." 'Sam' dropped its head and began its own Latin chant.

The fire roared, the ground trembled below them, and the house shook around them.

"This isn't going like I pictured." Dean tried to remain calm in his resolve. "What's going on Bobby?"

Bobby noticed a symbol branded into Sam's arm. "It'a binding link! It's like a lock! It's locked itself inside Sam's body!" Bobby shouted over the din of things falling.

"What the hell do we do?!" Dean shouted back.

"I don't know!"

'Sam' kept chanting and the ceiling cracked, breaking the Devil's trap symbol, rendering it useless, and freeing 'Sam'.

Upstairs Scarlett had heard screaming and shouting coming from downstairs but she stayed put like she agreed, even when the house started to shake: she stayed put; but when she heard a large crack and felt the floor dip, she jumped out of the bed and rushed downstairs to sturdier ground. From the stairwell she heard fighting.

"Hell is like...well it's like hell. Even for demons." She heard Sam's voice say followed by the sound of bone crushing flesh.

Scarlett crept around the corner and quietly peered into the study. Bobby was laid out on his back across the room by the fireplace and 'Sam' was crouched over Dean, taking swings at his face below the front window.

"It's a prison made of bone and flesh and blood and fear; and you sent me back there." 'Sam' continued to beat Dean bloody.

Scarlett felt her stomach churn as she watched Dean's face swell.

"Meg." Dean said through groans.

"No. Not anymore; Now I'm Sam!" It struck Dean again. "By the way, I saw your dad there." 'Sam' shoved its finger into Dean's gunshot wound. "He says 'Howdy'!" 'Sam' mocked. "All I had to hold onto is that I would climb out one day and that I was gonna torture you. Nice and slow. Like pulling the wings off an insect."

Scarlett felt the knot in her stomach grow from anxiety into anger.

"But whatever I do to you, it's nothing compared to what you do to yourself, is it? I can see it in your eyes, Dean. You're worthless. You couldn't save your dad, and deep down you know that you can't save your brother."

Scarlett's blood boiled when she saw Dean start to actually listen to that bile 'Sam' spewed at him.

"They would've been better off without you."

Scarlett felt a burst of energy flow through her and 'Sam' went flying across the room, away from Dean and over to where Bobby was getting up off the floor. Bobby quickly removed an iron poker from the fire and burned a line across the branded symbol on 'Sam's forearm. Sam's head flung backwards and he screamed from his mouth a giant cloud of darkness that flew into the fireplace. Sam dropped to the floor and slowly looked around.

"Sammy?" Dean asked.

They all looked to him. "Did I miss anything?"

Dean clocked him before passing out.

"What happened?" Sam rubbed his burn.

"You got yourself possessed by a demon, ya idjit. Now help me git yer brother upstairs." Bobby said and he and Sam picked up Dean and carried him to his room.

Scarlett hung back and, after the men were out of sight, let herself fall to her knees as the gravity of what just happened weighed down on her.

"Sam's gone to bed, but he tells me you're a vet…" Bobby came back down the stairs. "You alright, darlin'?"

"That black cloud…"

"Was a demonic spirit leaving Sam's body."

"My God."

"Yep." Bobby reached down and helped Scarlett to her feet.

"And that... _that_...was that me?"

"That little psychic burst? Sure was."

"How did I…?"

"I don't know, but sure glad ya did."

Scarlett felt her knees go weak.

"Hold on there!" Bobby caught her. "We still need ya live to stitch up Dean. He's taken a lickin' on this one."

Scarlett stiffened. "He needs a hospital, he's been shot! And lost a lot of blood; his face is all busted up; he needs stitches."

"No hospital." Bobby shook his head.

"What do you mean, that's ridiculous!"

"Gunshot wounds automatically get reported to the police."

"So?"

"So hunters and law enforcement don't really mix."

"Why not?"

"The job's pretty sticky, if you hadn't noticed. Some things are better left under the radar. Quicker you learn that, better you'll do in this world."

Scarlett thought about it for a minute. "Ok, then I need a sewing needle, some fishing wire, vodka, matches, ice, a bunch of bandages, and pedialyte if you have it."

"Sweetheart, I'm prepared for the apocalypse out here. I've got IV fluids and surgical sutures, this doesn't have to be so janky - but I like where your head's at. Now git upstairs and I'll grab my medical bag."

"Oh, ok."

Dean woke up late the next morning to pee. In the bathroom, he examined himself in the mirror; Scarlett had done a great job stitching him up for a doctor that doesn't work with humans. He walked back into his room at Bobby's and took in one of his favorite views: a beautiful woman asleep in his bed, wrapped in one of his band-T's. However, it was rare that it should be the same woman two nights in a row. He thought about yesterday when he walked in on the same scene, there was nothing more stimulating than a kiss charged with that I-thought-you-were-dead adrenaline; something about being faced with mortality made moments like that so packed with life. His thoughts trailed from contemplating Scarlett's passion and he remembered her psychic outburst last night: when she telekinetically threw his brother across the study. As he wondered what else she was capable of, Dean glanced around the room when two books on the nightstand caught his eye. They were big and old and ugly; he walked over to retrieve them for further investigation.

"BOBBY!" Dean shouted as he stomped downstairs.

"We're in the kitchen!" Sam's voice called.

"What the fuck are these?!" Dean continued to shout and threw the books onto the kitchen table in front of Bobby and Sam.

"Grimoires." Bobby said without looking up from his cereal bowl.

"I know they're fucking grimoires, I was being-being-FUCK!" Dean was so heated he started to lose his train of thought.

"Rhetorical." Sam supplied.

"Yes! Thank you! I was being fucking rhetorical!"

"Boy, if you cuss at me one more time you'll be sipping your breakfast from a straw." Bobby stood up from the table.

"Why does Scarlett have these?" Dean demanded.

"Dean, she's a Natural Witch." Sam interjected.

"What?"

"Sit down, I was just goin' over things with Sam until your idjit mouth started hollerin' all through the damn house." Dean took a seat at the table and Bobby continued. "She's been having psychic episodes longer than this past year. It's just that her visions of you two started when Sam presented his powers."

"Well, what the hell does that mean?"

"I know I already told you to watch your damn mouth."

"But you-"

"Leave it!" Bobby gave Dean a stern eye and Dean shut up. "I think there's some kinda link that was enacted when Sam presented, making like some kinda telephone line between him and Scarlett. See before Sam's abilities became active it was like the line was disconnected; but now that they're both active…"

"There's always someone on the other end."

"Right; now I'm just tryna find why they seem to be callin' each other so much."

"But that doesn't explain the grimoires."

"You wanted to induce her visions." Bobby said matter-of-factly.

"Dammit! Not with the dark arts!" Dean's voice raised again.

"Not all magic is black magic, boy!"

"You know DAMN WELL how dangerous that SHIT is!"

"She knew the risk!"

"That's a load of bull, there's no way SCARLETT, a civilian of all people, could!"

"She's hardly a civilian after last night. And anyway, it was for Sam!"

"Don't bring Sammy into this!"

"If it meant savin' your brother you wouldn'ta thought twice about the fallout if it weren't for your little crush!"

Scarlett woke up to the muffled yelling of a screaming match downstairs. She was about to go snoop when the shouting died down."Men." Scarlett rolled her eyes and committed to consciousness. She rolled over and Dean wasn't next to her...thank God for small favors. She stayed with him last night to watch him after he lost all that blood, but she wasn't exactly sure of how to face him after her mortifying display of displaced emotion last night. A kiss would have been one thing but she practically mauled him...not that it wasn't enjoyable, it was _extremely_ enjoyable- but it was foolish. She had just broken off her engagement to a man she'd been monogamous with since she was a teenager… she wanted this time to travel for herself, to be free, to figure out what she wanted for herself. Riding with the Winchester brothers was exciting, and she was experiencing things she never thought possible...but she knew getting involved with Dean was a huge mistake. They were her only connection to this life-altering supernatural conspiracy and she knew she needed them if she was going to learn more about this magic she apparently had. She certainly wasn't in an emotional place to start up another serious relationship and if things were to go badly with Dean she surely wouldn't be able to continue traveling with them in such close quarters.

The shouting started up again and Scarlett tried her best to suppress her urge to eavesdrop until she heard her name exclaimed amidst the ranting. Deciding it wasn't really being nosy if you yourself were involved in the subject of discussion, Scarlett tiptoed downstairs and into earshot of the argument.

"...if it weren't for your little crush!" Bobby's voice came through.

"Crush? What are you talking about?" Dean sounded defensive.

"C'mon dude," Sam started in, "don't deny it. It's obvious you're into Scarlett. Why else is she here?"

"I'm not saying I'm not attracted to her, she's hot as hell; I'm not blind. But I'm not a 16-year-old girl, I do not have a ' _crush'_ on her. As for why she's traveling with us, well we've already lost three of these other psychic freaks-" Scarlett's heart sank into her stomach, "I'm not about to let another piece of this yellow-eyed-demon's plan fall through our hands!"

"Freak?! I guess I'm a freak then, too!" Sam's voice boiled and Scarlett felt a sense of comradery with him.

"That's not what I meant." Dean's voice softened.

"Well it's what you said, and it's not the first time either! I didn't choose this, Dean!" Sam defended.

"Yeah, tell him!" Scarlett whispered her support.

"I'm sorry, Sammy, and I know you didn't, Scarlett either; but that's my whole point about this witchcraft business! Things are dangerous enough as it is, now you're gonna let her invite more bad juju into this situation?!"

At this, Scarlett couldn't remain silent anymore.

"I didn't-" Bobby started.

"First of all," Scarlett walked into the kitchen and all three men froze, "that 'bad juju' I used saved all your asses, you're welcome _Dean_ ;" Scarlett seethed, "second of all, and let's get this point crystal fucking clear, no one 'let' me do anything. I'm a grown-ass woman and I am perfectly capable of making my own damn decisions without y'alls chauvinistic-male, condescending fucking input; third of all, give me the keys to the Impala, I am SICK of these damn sweats and would LOVE to be wearing my own clothes again, thanks."

Sam wasted no time grabbing the keys from the table and tossed them to Scarlett who stormed outside to get her bag.

"Well, that went well." Sam sighed.

"Yeah, what's her problem?" Dean scoffed.

"Idjits." Bobby shook his head at the boys.

Scarlett felt like a new woman after she showered and was glad to be wearing some actual form-fitting clothes. She felt a little guilty for snapping at the boys… but not enough to apologize. She packed up her bag again and returned downstairs.

"Where is everyone?" Scarlett asked Bobby, who sat alone: reading in his study.

"You done scared 'em straight out the door, girl." Bobby chuckled and got up from his desk.

"What a bunch of babies." Scarlett smirked.

"Look, I know you didn't like the way Dean said it," Bobby sighed, "but his heart's in the right place. Like I already told you, witchcraft ain't nothin' to be triflin' with."

"I don't think I can just ignore that part of me now...and I don't think I want to."

"I figured; which is why I packed you these." Bobby handed Scarlett a large tote. "The grimoires are in there, plus a few other things that might be of use."

"If you really think it's so dangerous, why give me these?"

"Cause I watched you last night; I don't think you like the power - in fact, I saw it make you sick and weak; but you do like helping those boys. I don't know why, but I think you're supposed to be with them; I think you make 'em stronger, and right now they could use all the help they can get. If you keep your mind right and focus on usin' whatever power you got for helping people? Hell, you could be a damn good asset to them."

"Thank you, Bobby." Scarlett dropped her bags and hugged the grizzly looking man in front of her.

"Oh!" Bobby pat her back. "You take care of yourself, now, y'hear?" He pulled back from their embrace and held his hands on her shoulders.

"I will."

"And you keep puttin' them boys in their place."

Scarlett laughed. "I can guarantee it."

"Alright, I'll see ya soon." Bobby opened the front door for Scarlett.

"Thanks again." Scarlett said as she left.

The Impala was parked in front of the house, engine on, with Sam in the front passenger's seat; Dean, however, was waiting at the bottom of the porch.

"Here," Dean took one of Scarlett's bags from her while also handing her a bracelet with a small charm on it, "Bobby made it for you;"

"Oh how s-" Scarlett started to interrupt.

"...put it on, it'll ward off Demons from possessing you." Dean finished and took her other bag.

"-weet..." Scarlett quickly put on the charm bracelet.

"Look, about last night…" Dean scratched the back of his head as he looked at the ground.

"Ew, let's not do this."

"I think we kinda have to talk about it, don't-"

"No, I mean let's skip the part where it's awkward and dramatic. We're both adults here."

"Okay, so what do you suggest?"

"How about we just take it for what it was?"

"Uh huh. Yeah." Dean pretended to follow along. "And just to be clear, what was it?"

"Oh c'mon, emotions were running high; you're attractive, I'm attractive… it was totally chemical."

"Chemical?"

"Hormones and pheromones, you know."

"Yeah."

"I think we both know this isn't a good move."

"Right, yeah, I agree." Dean nodded.

"Great." Scarlett smiled.

"So we're cool, then?" Dean checked again.

"Ice cold." Scarlett joked.

"Alright then, Hart!" Dean started toward the trunk. "Get in, we're burning daylight."


	9. Chapter 9

It had been two months since Scarlett joined the Winchester brothers on their travels and since being with them she'd stopped having visions of their past. Currently the trio were in Ohio eating at an all-night diner, having just finished a job dealing with a demigod called a Trickster. Scarlett was still studying the literature on magical practices that Bobby had given her, but Dean preached preparedness in a physical sense; he didn't like the idea of her depending on witchcraft- or the idea of witchcraft in general- so Dean and Sam took turns teaching Scarlett self-defense moves and light hand-to-hand combat whenever they had some downtime.

"Guess we should go hit some practice ranges soon." Dean said through chewing a big bite of his burger.

"You mean like a gun range?" Scarlett asked.

"Yeah, there's quite a bit of gun work involved in hunting, if you hadn't noticed." Sam elaborated.

Scarlett scoffed. "Please. I know how to shoot."

"Really?" Both boys asked, surprised.

"I mean yeah, I'm not trying to join the NRA anytime soon, but I am from Florida." Scarlett laughed.

"Makes sense." Sam nodded.

"Crazy state." Dean muttered.

Scarlett's cell rang, her aunt's number on the Call ID.

"Speaking of which," Scarlett took a quick bite of her french toast and got up from the table, "I gotta take this." She headed outside for some privacy. "Hey!" She answered.

" _Hi, sweetie!"_

"What's up?"

" _The usual, your uncle's being a BUTT!"_ Scarlett heard her uncle's denial in the background. " _Anyhoo, just seeing if you're coming for Thanksgiving, we all miss you...wanna see ya."_

"Miss you too, but-"

" _Scar, I'm not really asking. Now, Nana and I need to make sure you're not being held hostage by those boys you're traveling with!"_

Scarlett laughed. "Fine, you know I'd love nothing more than to be home for Kristen's dry turkey."

" _Well, you caught me, Nana said she'd host Thanksgiving this year if you came home."_

"Oh, well in that case: wild horses couldn't keep me away!"

" _Good, seeing as you're driving all over the country anyway you have no excuses this year!"_

"Well I'll buy a bus ticket out tomorrow."

" _What, those boys' road trip doesn't come southeast?"_

"Oh, you want them to come?"

" _Definitely! I'm really serious when I say I want to make sure they're not axe-murderers! Anyway, you know there's always room for strays at the table."_

"Ok, I'll ask them."

" _Alright, Scar. Love you and miss you bunches."_

"Love you. See you soon."

" _Bye, sweetie."_

They hung up and Scarlett returned to the boys.

"Who was that?" Dean asked.

"My aunt again." Scarlett sighed.

"It's sweet how she checks in." Sam noted.

"Mhm. Well I'm glad you think so cause she wants to check in on y'all too."

"What?" Dan asked.

"You are both cordially invited to the Hart Family Thanksgiving." Scarlett explained.

"Awesome!" Sam said.

"No way." Dean shot it down.

"Oh, c'mon Dean! When was the last time we had a real Thanksgiving? Or a home-cooked meal, for that matter?"

"Yeah, besides: it's not really optional." Scarlett said.

"What do you mean?"

"Nana invited you, and I do not disappoint my Nana."

"Yeah, we can't disappoint little old Nana." Sam agreed.

"Cute. Real cute." Dean rolled his eyes at his brother.

"Seriously. Plus my family wants to make sure that I'm not traveling with a couple of psychopaths. Practically a direct quote."

"Two against one!" Sam insisted.

"Jesus, fine!" Dean gave in. "We'll leave in the morning."

Sam, Dean, and Scarlett left Springfield, OH at 8AM the next day and arrived in Sanford, FL at midnight.

"We don't even store food so it's not even an opinion I need to have!" Dean said as they pulled into Scarlett's family's driveway.

"I'm just glad he's got someone else to argue about dumb shit with." Sam laughed.

"I'm just saying that you're either going to spend the money on rubber bands or the extra few cents it costs to get the Saran Wrap with elastic!" Scarlett said as she got out of the Impala. "It evens out cost-wise and the prepared elastic ones are more convenient!"

"Dude, are you still polling people about fucking cling wrap?" A blonde-haired young man was standing inside the open garage. "What a geek."

"Dude, are you still smoking weed in your parent's garage? What a burnout." Scarlett snipped back and signaled for Sam and Dean to follow her.

"Ouch, shots fired!" He pretended to get hit.

"Too real for ya?" Scarlett laughed as she ran up and hugged him. "Ugh! I missed you!" Scarlett gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Muah!"

"Ugh, gross, get off me!" He pushed her away. "Missed you too, breh."

"Sam, Dean. This is my cousin Spencer. Spence, this is Sam and Dean." Scarlett introduced them.

"Yo." Spencer gave them a head nod.

"Sup." Dean nodded back.

"Hey." Sam gave small wave.

"Let me get a hit of that, loser!" A lanky girl with fire-red hair burst into the garage like Kramer.

"And that's his sister Erica." Scarlett explained.

"Whadup." Erica barely looked at them as she walked over.

"Dude, shut the door!" Spencer said in an annoyed tone as Erica grabbed the bubbler from him.

"You guys are such a mess." Scarlett laughed. "Is your mom awake?"

"Yeah," Erica let out a puff of smoke when she replied. "Mom and Justin are watching Spongebob in her room; Dad's playing WOW in the living room."

"Your mom and dad are so weird." Scarlett said.

"Look who's talking." Spencer said as he offered the bowl to Sam and Dean.

"True." Scarlett sighed.

Sam declined the bowl and just as Dean was about to accept Scarlett grabbed him by the arm.

"C'mon I'll show you to your room." Scarlett lead them through the garage door to the inside of the house.

The boys followed Scarlett through the kitchen and into the living room where they heard yelling.

"Fuck you, you goddamned cock sucker!" A dark-auburn haired, middle-aged man sat at a desktop wearing large headphones with a mic.

"Bree!" Scarlett shouted.

The man held up a '1 sec' finger to Scarlett, not looking away from the computer monitor, as he clicked furiously at the desk. "GOD DAMN IT, BRIAN YOU FLAMING SACK OF SHIT!" He screamed before he stopped clicking and took his headset off. "Fucking useless in a raid." The man grumbled as he turned in his chair toward the trio. "Oh, hey Scarlett!" He smiled warmly and got up.

"Hi," Scarlett smiled and they hugged hello, "Bree, this is Sam and Dean; this is my uncle Brendan."

"Hey guys." Brendan said.

"Hello, sir." Dean said and extended his hand.

"Thanks for having us." Sam also reached out.

"Scar, your friends are so polite." Brendan chuckled as he shook their hands. "Make yourselves at home, guys. Shell's already made up the beds for ya upstairs." He sat back down at the computer and put on his headset. "Fuck off, Brian, you dildo! My niece just got here!"

"Michelle is my aunt." Scarlett explained and lead them upstairs to the guest room.

"So is your family always up this late or were they waiting for us?" Sam asked as they walked down the hall.

"Nah, they're all night-owls here." Scarlett opened a door to the left. "Okay, here it is."

"Woah." Sam said as he walked in.

Dean looked at the photos tacked to the wall the door was on. "Wait, is this your room?"

"Yeah, my aunt refuses to change it. I think she's holding out hope I'll move back." Scarlett laughed.

"Did you do this?" Sam asked, referring to the wall on the left.

"Yeah, senior year of high school."

Scarlett's room hadn't changed a bit since she'd last been there, save for the trundle bed in the center of it. Printed photos of her and her friends covered the south wall from floor to ceiling; on the east wall hung assorted pop-art, band, and movie posters surrounding a wooden vanity and desk set; on the north wall a full size mattress with a daybed-style frame sat up against a 6 paneled picture window with a long book shelf lining below the ceiling from east to west; the west wall was painted a midnight purple-blue, pieces of mirror cut in all shapes and sizes caulked to the wall like it was a picture of the milky way, and an archway that lead to a walk-in closet.

"So you were cool when you were a teenager, what happened?" Dean teased as he looked at the poaters.

"That burn is so original." Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Wait, this is the best part…" Scarlett closed the door behind them and switched off the lights, "look up."

Plastic glow-in-the-dark stars and planets littered the ceiling above them.

"Oh, man! I always wanted a room with these as a kid!" Sam said excitedly.

Scarlett flipped the lights back on. "We aim to please at chateau Hart."

"So, if you don't mind me asking, why is your childhood room here and not with your mom?" Sam asked.

"Well, remember how I said my mom was a bit of a free spirit?"

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"That comes with a lot of instability and by the time I got to middle school I was over it. My aunt and uncle let me come live with them and my mom hit the road. She's got a bit of the wanderlust bug."

"What about your dad?" Dean asked.

"Not in the picture."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sam said."

"Don't be; I love my mom, she was a great mom to have as a kid. And I love her brother and his wife, they're a great aunt and uncle to have. I wouldn't want it any other way." Scarlett smiled.

"Good attitude." Dean nodded.

"No orgies in the house!" A tall blonde woman flung open the bedroom door, a small redheaded boy giggled behind her. "Justin! I told you to go to bed!" The boy scurried off.

"That's my aunt and my little cousin, Justin." Scarlett looked to Sam and Dean.

"Come here, sweetie!" Michelle pulled her niece into a rib-crushing hug.

"Can't. Breathe. Giant boobs. Crushing me." Scarlett exaggerated.

"HAH!" Michelle let out a laugh before letting go of Scarlett. "So this is Sam and Dean."

"Hello, ma'am." Dean nodded.

"You have a lovely home." Sam smiled.

"Oh, sweetie, they're cute." Michelle didn't even try to be discreet.

"You're so embarrassing!" Scarlett said as Sam and Dean both blushed and laughed uncomfortably.

"Well, dear, it's my job to embarrass you." Michelle pulled Scarlett into another hug and kissed her all over her face and head.

"Oh my gahhhhd!" Scarlett pulled back.

"Okay, well, I just wanted to say hi, I gotta check that Justin went back to bed and then I'm going to sleep myself."

"Ok, goodnight." Scarlett said.

"Love you." She kissed Scarlett's cheek again. "And if you boys need anything, don't ask me, I just told you I'm going to bed. HAH!" Michelle laughed at her own bad joke. "Goodnight!" She said as she left the room.

"Night!" All three of them said after her.

"Remember, no orgies!" She called down the hall.

"I know, they're characters...but I love 'em." Scarlett said to a stunned Sam and Dean.

"No your family is…" Dean struggled for a word.

"Friendly." Sam finished.

"Yes, very friendly!" Dean agreed.

Scarlett laughed. "It's ok, we know that as a group we're a bit much. Get some rest, you're gonna need it."

"Goodnight." They said.

"Night." Scarlett left the boys to settle into her old room and went to put down her own stuff in the room she'd be sharing with her cousin Erica before going back down to the garage to smoke and catch up with her cousins.


	10. Chapter 10

**Trigger Warning:** the plot-line of the next two chapters deals with sensitive issues such as race, religion, and politics. Please keep any reviews civil or PM me if you feel any of these topics were handled distastefully; I am always open to polite and logical discourse.  
As always:  
xoxo thanks for reading!

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Scarlett was up before the rest of the house that morning, aside from her cousin Spencer.

"Morning, Spence; you're up early."

"Mm. Work." He mumbled and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Oooh, I've never seen you in your uniform!" Scarlett teased and filled up her own mug.

"You're such a dork."

"I'm just proud of you!" Scarlett smiled and pinched her cousin's cheek. "Little paramedic, saving lives and shit."

"Yeah, not so much lately."

"What do you mean?"

"There's been a lot of shootings downtown. Like once a week for the past month."

"What? Do they know who?"

"Nah, they ifn't find any shells and no witnesses can place the shooter." Spencer took a sip of his coffee. "All off-duty cops, too."

"A serial killer?"

"Looks like."

"Man, first that one in Daytona killing those hookers, now this? Glad I moved."

"You moved to the Pacific Northwest...that's like the serial killer capital of the US."

"You guys talking serial killers this early?" Dean asked as he and Sam appeared from the stairwell.

"Good morning." Scarlett smiled.

"Morning." The boys nodded.

"Yeah, I was telling Scar about the influx of gunshot victims we've gotten at work."

"What do you do?" Sam asked Spencer.

"EMS."

"Ah. So why do you think it's a serial killer?" Dean asked.

"Well, they're all cops."

"Oh, shit."

"Yeah, they haven't released that to the press though; probably because the cases are so weird."

"Weird?" Sam asked.

"Well, they've all happened downtown surrounded by people but no witnesses saw a shooter."

"Sniper?" Dean offered.

"Shots all came from within four feet of the victims." Spencer shook his head. "And there's never any shells or other casualties."

Sam and Dean looked at each other.

"All they really know is that someone out there fuckin' hates the Sanford Police Department." Spencer finished his coffee. "Well, gotta finish getting ready; shift starts in 30."

"Okay, well, be careful." Scarlett called after her cousin as he ran up stairs.

"So, what do you think?" Sam asked his brother.

"Worth looking into."

"You guys think it's something supernatural?"

"Could be a spirit from the sounds of it. Maybe we should take a drive downtown and check it out."

"Definitely." Sam agreed.

"I don't know," Scarlett shrugged, "it's not really outlandish to think a live person would be targeting the cops here."

"Why's that?"

"Look, this is the south; the schools I went to here...the neighborhoods surrounding them; let's just say that there are parts of Sanford where police response-times are longer than their distance from the station should suggest and most of the time not having them show up is probably a blessing."

"But it's 2006." Dean said.

"And?" Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"And I didn't think shit like that still happened."

"Careful, dude; your privilege is showing." Sam half-teased.

"Racism is very much alive and well; especially around here." Scarlett agreed.

"We get so caught up in terrible monsters and demons...sometimes I forget humans can be terrible all on their own." Sam said sadly.

"Just a different type of monster." Dean shook his head. "All that considered, I still think we better be sure."

"You're the boss." Scarlett shrugged. "Help yourself to anything in the fridge, I'm gonna go get ready."

"Before you go; is there any way I could use your uncle's computer? We should look up who's running the station before we head over there." Sam asked.

"Sure; password is usually 'Meatloaf1!'." Scarlett left the boys to shower and change.

"So what should I do?" Scarlett asked as they pulled up to the manila-colored cement building off Goldsboro/W13th St.

"Wait here." Dean insisted.

"So boring." Scarlett sighed as the boys got out and headed inside.

"Hello, how can I help you boys today?" An elderly woman at reception asked.

"Department of Law Enforcement." Dean said as he and Sam flashed fake badges. "With Internal Affairs."

"Oh, I'll get the Lieutenant." She walked off.

"Thank you." Sam smiled.

"Gentleman?" A burly looking man walked up to the brothers.

"Lieutenant." Dean nodded and held up his 'badge'. "I'm Special Agent O'Connell and this is my partner, Special Agent Kirk;" Sam held up his 'badge', "We're with the Department of Law Enforcement: Orlando." Dean shook his hand.

"I'm-" The Lieutenant started.

"Lieutenant Dimitri Toussaint." Sam shook his hand.

"Yes." Lieutenant Toussaint said. "Why don't you follow me into my office." He lead them to the back of the building. "So I.A.'s on this, huh? You really think one of our own is a cop-killer?"

"Well, we don't know what to think yet; but we gotta get ahead of this before the damn press catches wind." Dean said.

"Whoever it is needs to be brought to justice." Sam added.

"Amen to that, brother." Agreed the Lieutenant and they all took a seat in his office. "So what do you need from me? We're still writing up reports ourselves."

"We'll take a list of the witnesses and anything you have on possible street or business cameras at the scene." Sam said.

"And anything connecting the vics, other than being Officers." Dean added.

The Lieutenant pressed the intercom button on his phone. "Jan, go down to evidence and get a copy of the CK case footage DVD's; then bring them here, please."

" _Yes, sir."_

"As for the witness list, I've been handling this case personally." Lieutenant Toussaint pulled out a case file from his desk. "Go ahead and copy it." He handed it over to Sam, who was ready with a note pad and pen.

"And connections?" Dean asked.

"Well, all three were recently graduated Cadets and they were legacies; there's been a Butler, Hughes, or Wiggins serving this department since 1892."

"Interesting; any other legacies in this precinct?" Sam asked.

"None that I'm aware of."

"Okay, can we get a list of all your newest recruits."

"Sure." The Lieutenant paged Jan again.

"Alright then, we'll let you know if we need anything else." Dean said as he got up.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Sam added.

"Anything to catch this son of a bitch. Jan will have everything you need at her desk out front." They all got up. "Good luck, Agents."

"You too, Lieutenant." Sam said and they all shook hands again.

" How'd it go?" Scarlett asked as the boy's got back in the Impala.

"Turns out all the victims are part of a family dynasty of local cops." Dean said.

"And they're all rookies; we got a list of new-hires." Sam added.

"Oh, let me see; maybe I know someone."

Sam handed Scarlett the list.

"Hm…" Scarlett Scanned the list for a familiar name. "Ah, I went to Seminole with Bobby Terwilliger; he's a sweetie, he'd talk with-" Scarlett's eyes rolled to the back of her head.

 _"Henrietta, love of my life, in a world full of darkness you are the light that guides my path;" a middle-aged man stands at the head of a long dinner table filled with people holding up a glass to the woman at his right, "I am so thankful that, 25 years ago today, you made me the happiest man on this earth by becoming my wife. May God bless us with 25 more."_  
 _The table coos and there are a few 'Amen's as they all clink glasses. Henrietta stands up to give the man a kiss and whispers an 'I love you'._  
 _"Don't you sit down now, Henry. You still hafta carve the turkey 'fore everyone here forgets it's also Thanksgiving." Henrietta teases and the group laughs along with her._  
 _The jovial buzz comes to a stop at the sound of glass breaking in the next room._  
 _"What the…?" Henry gets up to go check the living room when a chorus of windows breaking echos around the house._  
 _Bricks and molotov cocktails fly through the house and the party breaks out into a panic._  
 _Henry darts to the phone and calls 911 while Henrietta gathers their guests and herds them out the back door. A large group of people in white hoods are waiting outside with rifles, singing and closing in on the family..._

"Scarlett?" Sam's voice called through her vision.

Dean climbed into the back-seat with her.

 _A pale blue cracker house goes up in flames and in the live oak trees surrounding it hang the lifeless bodies of men, women, and children; alike only in skin-tone and bullet wounds. A flaming cross is pitched in the front yard and haunting hymns sound in the distance. Two police cars arrive to the scene after the singing fades out. The squad cars pause in front of the pile of ash that was once a home, no officer gets out, and then both units drive away._

"What did you see?" Dean asked as Scarlett came to.

"They killed them all; even the kids...and no one came." Scarlett started to cry.

Dean wrapped his arms around Scarlett and rubbed her back as she continued to sob into his chest; she knew that the images in that vision would plague her forever.

"Henry and Henrietta...I know those names sound familiar." Scarlett's mind spun trying to make sense out of the senseless act she'd seen in her vision.

"Well, let's see what Terwilliger knows about his recruit-mates. There's gotta be a fourth victim if you saw two squad cars." Dean said, trying to keep Scarlett focused on the present.

"You're sure he lives here?" Sam asked as the Impala pulled up to a pastel-yellow, three-story, foursquare-craftsman style house on 3rd Street.

"If he doesn't, they'll know where he is; the Terwilliger family has lived here for generations."

"You don't say, maybe Bobby T. is our legacy." Sam said.

"Nah, his dad's a lawyer, his grandad's retired Navy, and his great-grandad was a preacher." Scarlett informed them.

"You sure know his family history well." Dean grumbled.

"Everyone in Sanford knows the Terwilligers." Scarlett shrugged and they walked up the porch to the front door.

Sam rang the doorbell and it chimed with a familiar vintage tune; Dean rolled his eyes.

A Stepford-looking brunette woman answered the door. "May I help you?"

"Hi, Mrs. Terwilliger." Scarlett stepped forward. "We were looking for Bobby, is he available?"

"Why, Scarlett Hart, is that you?" The woman asked in a pleasant mild-tone.

"Yes, ma'am." Scarlett smiled.

"Oh, aren't you just as darling as ever! Come on in, Bobby's in the kitchen having lunch." She ushered them inside. "Wipe your feet." She instructed. "Bobby, you have some visitors." Mrs. Terwilliger announced as they followed her into the kitchen. "Scarlett Hart and...my word, where are my manners? I didn't get your names." She looked to the brothers.

"Sam."

"And Dean."

"Winchester." Scarlett added.

"Winchester…Edward's boys?"

"Different Winchesters." Scarlett said.

"Oh well, have you three eaten? I could whip you up something quick."

Dean's eyes lit up. "I'd love-"

Sam elbowed him in the side. "We're fine, thank you Mrs. Terwilliger." Sam smiled.

"Alright then, I'll let you kids catch up." She smiled and left the kitchen.

"Wow, hey Scarlett." Bobby finally had a moment to say hello.

"Hi Bobby, long time no see." They hugged.

"Yeah, not since...chem II, Mr. Piltch." He laughed.

"Hah, yeah. That's right."

"So, not to be rude, but what brings you by?"

"Well, um, I heard you just graduated the police academy and were hired at the Sanford Police Department, congratulations by the way."

"Thank you." He nodded.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you could tell us a bit about your classmates."

"What for?"

"Oh, um, Sam's writing an article for Sanford 365°." Scarlett improvised.

"Yeah, uh, Scarlett was telling us how...historically connected your family is to the town and I thought it would make good human interest piece." Sam expanded on the lie.

"New Generation of Sanford's Historic and Heroic Families." Dean fed him a fake headline.

"Yeah, so just a little about what The Terwilligers do for the community and any other recently graduated cadets whose families might be historically notable."

"Hm, well I can tell you who's got the oldest local families at the precinct...but my mom's probably who you want to talk to about Terwilliger family history."

"Okay, I'll take those names." Sam got out his notepad.

"Did I hear you kids talking Terwilliger family history?" Mrs. Terwilliger popped back into the kitchen from around the corner.

"Oh...yeah." Dean nodded.

"Well," Mrs. Terwilliger linked arms with Dean, "while Bobby talks with your brother; let me bend your ear about the Terwilliger's long history of philanthropy and…" Her voice trailed and she pulled Dean away.

Dean looked back over his shoulder to Scarlett for rescue, but she just sniggered and waved as Mrs. Terwilliger lead him into the sitting room.

"Unfortunately the list of new officers with long Sanford histories is getting shorter every week." Bobby said gravely.

"Yeah; Spencer told me about those cadets. I'm so sorry, Bobby." Scarlett said.

"You know...we all know the risk we take when we put on that uniform, but when you're just walking around, shopping with your family...a civilian like everyone else…" Bobby looked to his chest. "I grew up with Charlie Butler...he is a- _was_ a good guy. He would have been a great officer."

Scarlett reached out, squeezed Bobby Terwilliger's shoulder, and stroked his arm.

Bobby sniffed and looked up at Sam with a stiff upper lip. "Tyler Walker's grandpa was also on the Sanford police-force. He lives down Henry T. Morris Avenue. Two-story redbrick house, nice white wrap around porch. You can't miss it."

"Henry T. Morris…" Scarlett looked to Sam.

"Yeah, you know; right past 25th Street." Bobby T. said.

"Thank you, Bobby." Sam nodded.

"It was good to see you, Bobby." Scarlett gave him another hug.

"You better go get your friend before my mom pulls out great-gran's old photo albums." Bobby smiled. "He'll be in that chair for the next three days." They all chuckled and went to retrieve Dean. "Mom, they gotta go." Bobby announced.

"Oh, so soon?" Mrs. Terwilliger sighed.

"I wish I could stay, but printer deadlines and whatnot." Dean shrugged and quickly got up.

"Sanford 365° is a blog." Scarlett said with a smirk.

"Shut. Up." Dean whispered through a smile.

"Oh, well. Scarlett it was lovely to see you again, dear." Mrs. Terwilliger got up and gave Scarlett a kiss on each cheek.

"You too, Mrs. Terwilliger."

"Thank you for all the help." Sam said as they all left the Terwilliger's house.

"So I know how I know 'Henry and Henrietta'." Scarlett said as the trio returned to the Impala.

"Henry T. Morris is the Henry from your vision?" Sam asked.

"Who is Henry T. Morris and how does Sam know him but I don't?" Dean asked.

"First of all, head up to 25th Street." Scarlett directed. "Then make a left on Henry T. Morris Ave."

"Henry is a Street?" Dean asked.

"Henry Morris founded the first Florida branch of the NAACP in Seminole county." Scarlett explained. "I remember learning about him and his wife at Midway."

"Midway?" Sam asked.

"My elementary school; anyway: Henry and Henrietta's house was firebombed on their wedding anniversary; just like in my vision."

"Wow, they taught that to you in elementary school?" Sam asked.

"We learned a lot about Sanford and Florida history throughout elementary up to high school. Henry and Henrietta were both teachers at Crooms: the first high school in Seminole County for black students. Henry was the first NAACP official murdered in the Civil Rights Movement. He fought for equal pay for black teachers in public schools, investigated lynchings, filed lawsuits against white primaries, increased black voter registration in Florida to be the highest out of any other southern state...he was a warrior for civil rights."

"He needs a statue, not a street name." Dean concluded.

"But it couldn't be his spirit doing this…"

"Why not? If anyone deserved vengeance-" Dean started.

"All of their bodies were eventually burned." Scarlett said.

"So what? Just a coincidence you had that vision?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Scarlett admitted.

"Well hopefully this Tyler Walker guy will be some help."

When they pulled up to Tyler's house they heard screaming.

"Stay in the car." Dean said to Scarlett.

Sam and Dean both pulled out handguns from under their seats and cautiously headed towards the house; Scarlett followed.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked in a harsh whisper. "I said 'stay in the car'."

"Yeah, I heard you." Scarlett whispered back and continued to follow them up the porch.

Dean groaned and motioned for Sam to stay west of the front door.

"Go look through the side window, then." Dean said quietly.

"Fine." Scarlett agreed.

"Hello?" Dean knocked at the door. "Everything okay in there?"

The screaming continued, but footsteps came towards the front door from inside.

Sam cocked his gun and stood with his back flat up against the wall.

"Yeah?" A sandy-haired young man answered the door, unarmed and unphased by the screaming behind him.

"Uh…" Dean didn't know how to respond to the situation.

"Hey, Tyler?" Scarlett came skipping up the porch.

"Who wants to know?"

"I'm Scarlett, Bobby Terwilliger's friend." She said cheerily.

Dean looked to Sam who shrugged and put his gun away and stepped into view.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we're doing a story for Sanford 365° about the new cadets. We were wondering if we could get an interview?"

"Oh, sure. Come on in."

They followed Tyler into his house. An old man sat in a La-Z-Boy recliner, groaning.

"Sorry about papaw, he's havin' one of his episodes." Tyler said nonchalantly.

"What's wrong with him?" Dean asked and Sam punched him in the shoulder.

"Nah, it's ok." Tyler said to Sam. "Nothin's wrong with him's the matter."

"What do you mean?"

"He gits these headaches 'n starts yellin'. Doc' says ain't nothin' serious. No strokes er seizures. Jus' screamin'. Anyway, he'll stop in a minute; jus' ignore 'im." They all took a seat in the living room. "So, whatcha wanna know?"

"Well, we heard you're the second generation to become an officer for the Sanford Police department." Scarlett said. "Was that something your grandfather wanted for you?"

"Hell naw!" Tyler scoffed. "Papaw begged me not ta go into the police academy."

"Really?" Sam leaned in.

"Yeah, he was barely in himself. Quit after his first call." Tyler shook his head.

"Why's that?" Scarlett asked.

"Said it won't the type a job he wanted ta be doin'." Tyler shrugged. "Even still...I thought he'd at least be proud a me fer wantin' ta do it. Hell, he didn't even stay til the end of my graduation ceremony."

"That sucks." Dean sympathized.

"Yeah, I gotta think it's 'cause a these episodes, though."

"In what way?" Sam pressed.

"Well he started havin' 'em pretty much right after. They make 'im angry. 'Tween you an' me? I think them doctors are quacks. He's definitely got somethin' wrong with his brain, maybe dementia."

Tyler's pocket vibrated and he pulled out a pager.

"Ohp, that's the station; gotta motor." Tyler said.

"Alright, well thanks for your time." Scarlett said as she and the boys got up to leave.

"That was weird." Sam said when they got back in the car.

"Definitely." Scarlett agreed.

Dean shushed them and turned on his police scanner.

 _"10-33 all units to 206 West 15th Street; 10-30 possible 10-32; Repeat: 10-33-"_ Dean switched off the radio.

"What's that mean?" Scarlett asked.

"Someone's been shot."


	11. Chapter 11

"What are you doing here?" Spencer was loading up a black body bag into the back of his Ambulance when he saw his cousin and the Winchester brothers run up to him.

"Who is that?" Scarlett asked.

"Another gunshot victim...Scarlett, why are you guys here?" Spencer repeated.

"I can't explain right now; who is that?" Scarlett pressed.

Spencer nodded his head at the other paramedic with him. "Scarlett, you know I can't tell you that." He got into the back of the ambulance with the body.

"Oh, right…" Scarlett took the hint and the three of them backed off and watched Spencer's Ambulance drive off.

"Agents!" Lieutenant Dimitri Toussaint called over to them from the front yard.

"Stay here. I mean it this time." Dean instructed Scarlett who rolled her eyes, but stayed put, as the boys walked over to the Lieutenant.

"Who's the vic?" Dean asked.

Lieutenant Toussaint shook his head. "Sheriff William McCaw."

"Sheriff?"

"Well, not active since 1972; but he was Seminole County Sheriff for 28 years."

"Making him Sheriff in 1951." Sam confirmed.

"Yes, that's right...you got a lead I should know about?"

"Maybe; how far back do your case records go?" Dean asked.

"Well, depends...you got a specific case in mind?"

"1951; Henry T. Morris and wife-"

"Henrietta." Lieutenant Toussaint's face furrowed. "Yeah. I know the one. Better meet me back at the station."

"Alright, see you there." They parted ways.

"So...another cadet?" Scarlett asked when the brothers returned to the Impala.

"No; it was the acting Sheriff during the Morris family murder." Sam informed her.

"The Sheriff?"

"Yep." Dean answered.

"He was the fourth responding officer?"

"Looks like." Sam nodded.

"Jesus...so where are we headed?"

"The police station. The Lieutenant is going to let us look over the Morris case file." Said Sam

"What do you expect to find in there?"

"Get a list of the victims that night; maybe some extended family's spirit is doing this."

Lieutenant Toussaint ushered the boys into his office and quickly shut the door. "So you boys think it's connected to the Oviedo Case too?"  
Sam recognized the case name from his pre-law studies. "Jesus, he's that Sheriff McCaw?"

"The one and only." Lieutenant raised his eyebrows and sighed. "Honestly, it's high time Internal Affairs looked into this guy, but I hate to say it: y'all ain't finna find much on him. Especially not after Charles' ruling last month."

"What ruling?" Dean asked.

"You didn't catch that press conference Chris Charles held?"

"...I've been sick. Flu season and all." Dean explained.

"Uh-huh...well he named those four dead Klansmen as the perps and officially 'resolved' the Morris murders."

"What Klansmen?"

"Does it matter? Even if they was involved, they ain't who ordered that bombin'. Nothin' but a PR stunt for his run for Governor, if you ask me. Four men who's already dead and known KKK members? That ain't justice; that's a convenient answer." The Lieutenant pulled a case file from his desk. "But you boys go ahead and look it ova'. Maybe you'll see somethin' I missed."

Sam took the file and scanned through the pages. "My God…"

"What?" Dean asked.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. This has been a huge help. We'll be in contact." Sam pulled his brother from the station.

"What's going on, Sammy?"

"C'mon; I'll explain in the car. We gotta get back to Tyler Walker's house."

"What's happening?" Scarlett asked as a determined looking Sam and Dean quickly got into the Impala.

"I don't know, but sure wish Sam would tell me." Dean said, tearing out of the parking lot.

"So the Sheriff that died: we did a case study at school of a trial he was involved in; the Oviedo Case."

"Yeah, got that. What happened in the Oviedo Case?" Dean asked.

"In 1949 a white woman in Oviedo, Florida accused four black men of raping her, three of them were arrested one of them ran and was eventually found killed: presumably by Sheriff McCaw who had been in the area but the coroner 'couldn't confirm' that. A mob was so riled up most residents of the black neighborhoods in Seminole County fled their homes and the mob shot up any local businesses owned by black members of the community. They called in the National Guard to stop the riots. An FBI investigation found that two of the Seminole County Sheriff's Department deputies beat confessions out of the three men and the Justice Department told the U.S. Attorney in Orlando to file charges against the deputies but he never indicted them. The evidence against the men is presumably forged ceramic castings of their shoe prints but they didn't use the coerced confessions because they were afraid a higher court would overturn the ruling they knew they would get from their all-white jury: guilty on all charges. Two of the men are sentenced to die and one gets life in prison because of his young age. Eventually, in 1951, the Supreme Court overturned Seminole County's verdict due to the exclusion of black jury members and ordered a new trial. The one doing life refuses the option for a retrial, afraid of another guilty verdict that would now allow him the death penalty. October 1951 McCaw and a police caravan transport the two men to the retrial and McCaw pulls off onto a side-road claiming tire trouble; says he lets the two out of the car to relieve themselves and they attack him in an escape attempt. He shoots them both three times. One of them is killed and the other plays dead, but another deputy arrives, sees that he's still alive and shoots him again; still he manages to survive long enough for another squad car to arrive that eventually takes him to the hospital. He tells an FBI agent that the Sheriff and Deputy shot him unprovoked but the coroner concludes that McCaw acted in line of duty, though the FBI reports say a .38 caliber bullet was buried ten inches into the ground beneath the man's blood spot- evidence that supports the defendant's version of events. After the man recovered from the shooting Thurgood Marshall took over defense in the 1952 re-trial; There was a 90 minute deliberation and the man was sentenced to life in prison. Every 10 years or so they file for repeal; but there's no evidence to exonerate them and no one has come forward to testify to the false shoe casts or to McCaw's conspiracy." Sam recounted the lesson. "However, looking through the case file for Morris' murder I saw that Henry T. Morris as Executive Director of the Florida NAACP had been campaigning for the indictment of Sheriff McCaw for shooting the Oviedo boys in cold blood, just two weeks before the murder."

"Fuck." Scarlett was speechless.

"Yeah, and guess who was the reporting officer for the Morris' murder?"

"Tyler Walker's grandfather." Dean guessed.

"That's right; Donald Walker." Sam nodded. "The only thing I can't figure out is how an old man is shooting these people from his La-Z-Boy."

"I think I might be able to answer that one…" Scarlett recalled a section in one of the books Bobby had given her. "Biokinesis: creating wounds telekinetically. Donald Walker is psychic." She says as they pull up to the Walker residence.

Dean and Sam grabbed their guns again and they all got out of the car.

"Let me take the lead on this." Scarlett said.

"No way, this guy is dangerous." Dean shot down her request.

"He can't hurt me. But he can hurt you. So, why don't you take a turn sitting in the car?" Scarlett said.

"She's got a point…" Sam gave his brother a weak smile.

"What? Why do you get to go?" Dean whined.

"Sam's also psychic, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then he's safe too."

"This blows." Dean crossed his arms.

"Sit tight, little lady." Scarlett smirked and walked up to the house.

Scarlett knocked on the door.

"Hello? Tyler?" Sam called.

The door opened. "Tyler ain't here." It was Donald Walker.

"That's okay, Donald; we're here to see you." Scarlett smiled.

"Me? What for?"

"It's about Henry T. Morris. Can we come in?"

"You from the police station? You'll need a warrant if you wanna come into my house, dammit."

"We're not police. We're like you!" Scarlett said quickly before Donald shut the door.

"What do you mean, you're like me?"

"We're psychics."

He opened the door wide again. "Get inside."

"Donald, we know what your first call was back in 1951." Sam started.

"Yeah, I figured...what about it?"

"I get why Sheriff McCaw...but those three boys you killed aren't responsible for what their grandfathers did...or didn't do, rather." Scarlett said.

"That I killed?" Donald seemed genuinely confused.

"Yes, your episodes...you're there aren't you? When they die?"

"I-I-I…" He shook his head in horror. "I see it, but I'm here. I'm always here."

"You're astral projecting and biokinetically wounding them." Scarlett explained.

"I don't know what any of that means."

"You're psychically projecting yourself to wherever they are and creating wounds on them with your mind." She continued. "You have to stop."

"Those families are CURSED for what they did. They don't belong back in that precinct together...I've been here. I ain't no murderer. That's why I left that God forsaken police force!"

The house began to shake.

"Do you see?" Scarlett yelled over the noise of dishes crashing from cabinets and tchotchkes falling from shelves. "This is you, Donald! This is what your mind can do!"

"No!" The windows and light bulbs in the home all shattered.

"Donald, you have to calm down!" Sam screamed.

Donald's eyes went white and the foundation cracked below them.

"We gotta go! He's going to tear this place down!" Sam grabbed Scarlett by the hand.

A jolt of energy ran through both Sam and Scarlett.

"Wait!" Scarlett pulled Sam back from leaving. "Do you feel that?!"

He nodded; it felt like his body was vibrating, quick and light like a hummingbird's wings.

"Try to imagine he's like a flame and your mind is a candle snuffer, surrounding his psychic energy and suffocating it!"

Sam felt Scarlett squeeze his hand tight as he closed his eyes and tried to do as she said.

The house came to an abrupt stillness and Donald fell to the floor.

Scarlett let go of Sam and rushed to the elderly man.

"What's happening to me?" Donald's voice shook as he looked up at Scarlett, his eyes full of terror.

"It's ok… we're going to help you. Can you stand?"

"Dean burst through the front door: gun first. "What's going on?!" He demanded as he waved his Beretta around.

"Dude…" Sam shook his head and signaled for his brother to put the gun down.

Scarlett helped Donald into his chair.

"I didn't mean to hurt those boys…" Donald's eyes welled with tears, "but when I saw who was in Tyler's graduating class…"

"You lost control." Sam sat down on the couch.

"That night, in 1951, that was my first call as an active officer. Sheriff McCaw was stoppin' by the precinct to go ova' some case files we had that overlapped on a current Sheriff's investigation...or so he said. He was still there when the call came through over dispatch. I looked to my senior officer I'd been assigned to, ready for my first chance to help a civilian in distress…" he looked down at his hands, "McCaw told Wiggins to wait, there'd been a lot of 'prank calls' from that neighborhood. We waited. Twenty minutes later we got anotha' call: a concerned neighbor. That time I insisted we go out. It was too late. When we got back to the station McCaw was still there, waitin'.Wiggins, Butler, and Myer told him what we saw with sick grins on their faces...he replied with 'That's what happens to negros who forget they place. They're like dogs: gotta make an example 'fore the rest of 'em get any ideas.' I turned in my badge that night."

"Donald, you have to tell someone." Scarlett said.

"Yeah you can't just go around taking vengeance-" Dean started and stopped when Scarlett shot him a look.

"I tried, for thirty years I tried...ain't no one listened to me, and then McCaw caught wind of it… he threatened my wife, my son. He was a killer that man. I ain't sorry he gone. I am sorry for those boys though, I didn't realize…how do I stop this...thing in my mind?"

"I don't know." Scarlett confessed. "But I do know you have to go to the police with this. You may not have saved Henry and his family, but there are still two men doing life in prison that your testimony could help."

"They're corrupt, they ain't gonna listen." Donald insisted.

"It's different there now, Tyler will listen to you."

"And his Lieutenant is a black man." Sam pointed out.

"He is?"

They all nodded.

"Can you take me there now?"

Dean and Sam brought Donald into the Sanford Police station to the Lieutenant under the guise of their Florida Department of Law Enforcement covers. Donald was brought into the interrogation room to write and read his witness statement on camera.

"Agents, can I ask you something?" Lieutenant Toussaint asked the boys as they were leaving; they nodded their approval "Why didn't the FDLE want this one?"

Sam and Dean looked at one another.

"It felt like your department could use a win." Sam said.

"Thank you." The Lieutenant shook their hands. "It may not be the Cop Killer, but it'll feel good to close the Morris file for real, and the Oviedo Case."

"Not bad for a day's work." Scarlett pat the boys' shoulders as the got back into the Impala.

"I'll say; you think we could finally eat?" Dean asked.

"Fine by me, I'm starved!"

"Scarlett, I've been meaning to ask:" said Sam, "how did you know we could calm him down back there?"

"I didn't...but I read something in one of Bobby's books that kind of alluded to it; figured it was worth a shot!"

"What the hell?! So, you could have been wrong and the house could have smushed us?" Sam asked incredulously.

"The operative word there is 'could'... the important thing is that it didn't." Scarlett pointed out.

"Fuckin' witches." Dean rolled his eyes.

After dinner the three returned to Scarlett's aunt's house where Spencer was sitting in a lawn chair in the open garage.

"Dude, what was up with your crime scene cameo today?" He asked as he lit a cigarette.

"Oh, uhm...was just driving over to 'Park on Park' and saw y'all. Felt nosy." Scarlett sat down with him and Sam and Dean followed suit.

"Freak."

"Whatever."

"So Thanksgiving tomorrow's gonna be dope.Y'all tryna smoke in the morning before we get stuffed?" Spencer asked the brothers.

"I'm good." Sam shook his head.

"I'm down." Scarlett nodded.

"I was gonna pass, but if Scarlett's gonna: when in Rome, am I right?" Dean shrugged.

"Definitely." Spencer nodded.

"Speaking of which, you're still smoking Newports?" Scarlett asked.

"Obviously."

"Cigarettes are terrible for you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I deserve one after today."

"Oh right, the dead body…"

"Yeah and he wasn't the only one. Last call on shift: another old-ass dude out off Henry T. Morris Ave. straight up hung himself tonight."

The boys looked to Scarlett.

"What?"

"Yeah, his grandson came home from working at the precinct and found him."

"Jesus." Dean said.

Scarlett swallowed her emotions. "Let me get a cigarette."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For the history buffs:

Most of the non-supernatural storyline in the two few chapters was closely based on the the real life of Harry T. Moore and his wife Harriet as well as the Groveland Case and Sheriff Willis McCall.


	12. Chapter 12

Something loud and fluttery in the distance called Dean to consciousness that morning; it was warm and familiar and, for the moment between dreaming and reality, Dean was four again: laying in bed listening to the sounds of his mom and dad's laughter float into his room from downstairs; laughter: that's what woke Dean on Thanksgiving morning.

Dean sat up and found he was alone in Scarlett's childhood room, Sam's trundle already neatly made with his bag sitting atop, zipped up and tidy.

"Bitch." Dean scoffed to himself as he got up and rifled through his own duffel for his sweats, spilling his clothes all over as he went.

After relieving himself, Dean slowly descended the stairs; if Sam or Scarlett wasn't out there, he would return to the bedroom. He peeked his head around the corner to see Scarlett's uncle Brendan at the computer and her littlest cousin Justin watching football, no one else was in the living room.

Dean was about to head back upstairs when he heard Sam's voice come from the kitchen. "Yeah, well we'll see about that!"

Dean quickly paced to the kitchen with no acknowledgement from the eldest and youngest Hart men; perfect. He walked in to find Sam peeling potatoes over a garbage can, Scarlett slicing peeled apples, and aunt Michelle filling deviled eggs; they were all laughing. Dean loved seeing Sammy like this, happy with a family on Thanksgiving, the only thing better would be if it were their family.

"Well good morning!" Aunt Michelle boomed.

Dean gave a sheepish grin. "Good morning."

"Don't be shy, get in here." Michelle ordered. "You hungry? We got cereal."

"Not yet, thank you."

"So soft spoken and sweet," Michelle tilted her head at Dean, "kock it off, boy, and act normal!" She laughed.

Dean chuckled. "Alright, you caught me." He put his hands up, feigning surrender.

"Good, now if you're not gonna eat then you can help your brother with the potatoes he's peeled."

"Uh, sure. What's my job?"

"Scarlett scooch over and give Dean some room at the chopping board. Dean, start cutting up those taters!"

Sam handed Dean a bowl of peeled potatoes and he walked them over to where Scarlett was.

"Morning." She whispered through a smile and bumped him with her hip.

"Hey, so um… how exactly should I be 'cutting up these taters'?"

Scarlett laughed and got out another knife. "They're just getting boiled before they're mashed. Quadrants should be fine, like this." Scarlett reached across him for a potato and cut it into four chunks. "Your turn."

Dean felt his stomach flip as he took the knife from Scarlett's hand and remembered their last kitchen encounter; she didn't seem to notice.

"So Dean, Sam here tells me y'all are from Kansas." Michelle said.

"That's right."

"The Chiefs are playing today, y'know?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah, against the Broncos." Dean answered.

"Oh no, that should be interesting." Scarlett shook her head next to Dean.

"Don't tell me you're a Denver fan?" Dean turned to Scarlett.

"Me? No. I don't sports." Scarlett smirked. "If I had to choose a team I think I'm obligated to the Jets."

"Oh God, why?" Dean gasped.

"The Harts are from New York." Michelle explained.

"Still, why not the Giants?" Dean laughed.

"You got me, you'll have to ask Brendan." Michelle shrugged.

"So who's the Broncos fan, you?" Sam asked Michelle.

"No, I'm from Florida; Dolphins all day, baby!" She shouted. "Speaking of, I think they're on right now."

"Yeah, and they're up by 7!" Justin called from the living room."

"The Broncos fan is my sister." Scarlett said nonchalantly.

"Your sister?!" Sam and Dean both stopped and looked to Scarlett.

"Yeah, her half-sister." Michelle rinsed her hands. "Scar, you better make these boys some flashcards before we get to Nana's; you're about to meet a lot of complicated relations." She laughed as she left the kitchen.

"She's not wrong." Scarlett shrugged.

"Okay, how many people are we talking?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, give us the rundown."

"Hm… I guess we'll start at Nana, then there's her husband Ben-"

"Her 'husband'? Not 'grandpa'?" Dean interrupted.

"Not to me, but to Ophelia and Justin: yes. My Papa was Nana's 2nd husband, Paul; he's who most of the cousins grew up with."

"Most of the cousins?" Dean's eyes widened.

"Yeah, me, Spence, Erica, Hannah, Landon, and Maken. Ophelia and Justin were both born after Papa died."

"Jesus, and all these people will be there?"

"Oh no, Hannah, Landon, and Maken all live in New York with my aunt Margarette. Margarette, Brendan, and my mom are all from my Nana's first marriage to Elijah; but he died when they were kids."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sam said.

"Yeah, we have a running joke that Nana's the black widow; even Ben got a pacemaker put in only a year after they got married." Scarlett laughed and Sam and Dean shot each other uncomfortable looks. "Oh, sweeties, you are gonna have to toughen up; morbid humor is a Hart family specialty." Scarlett pulled some dough from the fridge. "Anyway, so who will be there…Where were we? Nana, Ben...right, plus my uncle Mason (from Paul) and his wife Kristin, their daughter Ophelia: she's 7, cute as a button; Kristen's parents...honestly I forget their names so let me know when they introduce themselves. There's my uncle Matt who is also Paul's son, but from his first marriage not to Nana; no kids, he's a little quirky. Uhm...oh, my uncle Roger, very British, he was married to my Aunt Megan who was Elijah's daughter from his previous marriage, but she passed a few years ago. Who else? Barbara and Gary, who are Michelle's mom and brother...Barb is kind of a nag, but Gary just sits and does a puzzle with Matt usually. And our aunt Nell who isn't really anyone's aunt she's actually Nana's cousin. I guess then it's my Sister Sandra, she's from my Dad's first marriage and she's 42 so we weren't that close when I was growing up but when she and her wife Chrissy had my niece Penny- she's 3 and an adorable little miracle, anyway we reconnected and now they do holidays with us, Chrissy usually brings her mom Sue. And then there's everyone that's here so what's the count at like 21 including us? Basically just the Florida family, the Jersey and New York clans get together and we usually do a group phone call before dessert...but yeah, that's everyone...well, only my mom's side - I see my dad's side for Christmas usually."

"Wow." Sam said.

"Your family is…" Dean trailed

"21 people?" Sam asked.

"And that's _just_ the Florida family, she says." Dean starts to laugh.

"Oh, and _only_ her mom's side." Sam started to crack up.

Scarlett was lost. "What's so funny?"

"Just...Sammy and I could barely get together with our Dad for a holiday."

"Let alone 21 other relatives."

"Do we even have other relatives?"

"Who knows!"

They were both in tears.

"Okay...well; I better finish this pie." Scarlett began to simmer a caramel reduction. "You two chuckleheads better get crackin' with those potatoes." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

Once Scarlett had put her pie in the oven and the boys were boiling their potatoes, Spencer and Erica finally found their way downstairs.

"Welcome to the land of the living." Scarlett greeted her cousins.

"Yo." Spencer nodded and Erica just groaned in Scarlett's general direction before the two headed to the garage.

"You coming?" Spencer asked.

"I think I'm actually going to pass. I don't know if I can face Nana high." Scarlett admitted.

"Yeah, I don't know about meeting two dozen new people stoned." Dean shrugged.

"Suit yourselves." He shut the door to the garage.

"So, you guys wanna watch some football? I know Justin isn't going to let you watch anything else."

"Sounds good." Sam said and Dean nodded agreement.

They walked out into the living room where Brendan was still gaming, Michelle was crocheting, and Justin was watching the Miami Dolphins destroy the Detroit Lions.

Scarlett rode with the Winchester brothers in the Impala and they followed the 1999 forest-green Ford Windstar minivan out of the neighborhood. The two-car-caravan was headed to DeBary, FL to Scarlett's Nana's home at Quail Lake, a neighborhood within DeBary Plantation. They drove past Downtown Sanford and around and over Lake Monroe, down SR17-92 until they turned at a large brick sign that read DeBary Golf & Country.

Dean and Sam took in the extremely suburban neighborhood and Dean wondered if he'd ever have a lawn so...green.

When they pulled up to a single-story, white, mediterranean-modern home with a black-slate roof, there were already 4 cars parked in the grey stoned turn-around driveway.

"Guess we're late." Dean said as they got out.

"Watch out, the bottom is still hot." Scarlett instructed as she passed Sam the crock pot of mashed potatoes from the backseat. "And we're not late. Nana tells everyone to be here by 2 hoping we'll all arrive by 4."

"Is that my Scarlett?" A sweet and gentle voice came from below the front doorway's stone arches.

"Hi, Nana!" Scarlett passed her pie dish to Dean and ran up to greet her grandmother who was even tinier than herself.

"Hi, Honey!" They embraced and Scarlett reveled in the always-comforting scent of White Linen by Estee Lauder. "And who are these two strapping young escorts with you this evening?" Nana asked and gave her granddaughter a quick wink.

"The one with the crock pot is Sam and the one with the pan is Dean." Scarlett introduced them.

"Hello Mrs. Hart." Dean said as he walked up.

"Thank you for inviting us." Sam smiled.

"Oh, it's Scanlon now, Dears; but you better just call me Nana." She squeezed each of the boys at their elbows, mostly because she was much too short to reach either shoulder, and then linked arms with Scarlett. "Either one will be better than that fakakta Jeremy, right?" She whispered to Scarlett.

"Nana!" Scarlett giggled. "We're just friends." Nana gave Scarlett a knowing smirk.

"Is whispering good?" Dean asked Sam quietly.

"We hope so!" Nana called back, ears like a bat.

Dean and Sam followed the two women into the house; it was pristine: white walls, white carpet, and white tile; the furniture was all dark wood, navy blue, or cream; big, colorful abstract-expressionist paintings hung all around; and sunlight poured in from picture windows and skylights.

"Your home is beautiful." Sam said.

"Why, thank you! So what do you boys have there?" Nana asked.

"I've got Scarlett's pie." Said Dean.

"And I've got mashed potatoes." Sam said.

"Sam and Dean made the potatoes all by themselves, you know." Scarlett pointed out.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I peeled."

"And I mashed."

"And I bet they're just delicious!" Nana smiled and the boys beamed proudly.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, Scarlett, I bet that's your sister. Go get the door, honey, while I show these boys to the kitchen."

"Yes, Nan." Scarlett walked off.

"So what pie did Scarlett make?" Nana asked Dean as they all walked to the kitchen.

"Uh, I believe Apple, ma'am." Dean said

"Oh good! We've already got two pumpkins and a pecan." They continued down the hall. "Scarlett makes a wonderful green apple pie...my mother's recipe. I think I taught her around 7. She always loved to help me in the kitchen." Dean smiled thinking about a tiny little Scarlett covered in baking flour. "Of course, so did Spencer. They're so alike. Both of them were such genial children." Nana prattled adoringly about her beloved grandchildren. "Alright, here we are. Go on and set those on the counter there and come into the living room to meet everyone."

Sam and Dean followed Nana who, upon entering her large living room, started pointing and naming; the boys put faces to the family tree Scarlett had laid out earlier; and found seats on a couch between Spencer and one of Scarlett's uncles.

"So how do you two know Scarlett?" Scarlett's uncle Matt was the first to engage the boys one-on-one.

"Oh, uh...friends from Washington."

"That's nice. I used to live in Washington for a couple years back in the 70's…" Matt's voice trailed into a story that Sam paid attention to, but Dean's focus turned to Scarlett as she entered the living room from the foyer entrance.

She was following behind two middle aged women, one blonde and one brunette, who carried casserole dishes and a diaper bag; Scarlett's sister and her wife, Dean assumed.

"I've got pigs in a blanket, who wants 'em?" The blonde woman raised a dish up.

"Oooh!" A little blonde girl, cousin Ophelia, ran up.

"Here, let me get it, Ophelia." Justin, who was slightly bigger, took the pan and the two of them skipped off with it to sit on the floor in front of a board game they were playing.

Scarlett held a tiny girl on her hip and was running her hand through the littlest guest's brunette curls while cooing something inaudible; Dean had never seen her smile as brightly as she did at that little girl.

Scarlett looked up from the child and locked eyes with Dean, she motioned for him to come over. Dean left Sam with uncle Matt's story and headed to the newcomers.

"Dean, this is my sister Sandra and her wife Chrissy; guys this is Dean..." She pointed across the room, "and his brother Sam is sitting with Matt."

"Hi!" Sandra said with a big smile.

"Nice to meet you!" Chrissy gave him a hug.

"Oh," Dean wasn't used to immediate affection, "nice to meet you too."

"Whoops! Shoulda warned you, she's a hugger!" Sandra laughed.

"C'mon, Sandy. Let's go put this stuff down."

"Ok," Sandra kissed the little girl in Scarlett's arms, "you stay with auntie carrot, okay?"

"Auntie carrot?" Dean chuckled.

"Shut up! She can't say Scarlett yet."

"And who is this little lady?"

"Penny!" the little girl squealed.

"That's right!" Scarlett kissed her niece and she giggled.

"Let me see that sweet little munchkin!" Michelle came up, took Penny from Scarlett and whisked her off to the 15 other people waiting to shower her with kisses.

"She's cute." Dean said.

"Ugh. The cutest!" Scarlett looked over to Penny. "She's always the hardest to say goodbye to."

Eventually they all sat down to dinner: roast turkey with cranberry-walnut-stuffing, sweet potato casserole, stuffed peppers, green bean casserole, baked mac n' cheese, mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and turkey-gravy; needless to say, Dean was in heaven.

After dinner Nana made coffee and tea and Dean watched as everyone separated to different activities while they ate pie; some watched the game, some were playing cards, and some lingered at the table chatting. Sam and Spencer were playing chess, so Dean offered to help Nana with the dishes.

"Well that would be lovely, dear." Nana smiled at him.

"How about I wash and you dry since I don't know where anything goes?"

"Well I think that's a great plan." Nana passed her sponge to Dean and took up the drying towel.

Through the window above the sink, Dean could see Scarlett outside in the yard laughing and blowing bubbles for the kids to chase. A fall breeze caught her hair and the sun highlighted the red in her auburn waves.

"She's so good with them." Nana broke Dean's stare and he put his focus back on the dishes in-hand.

"Who?" Dean cleared his throat.

Nana smirked. "Oh, honey, you'll have to try harder to fool someone who's been around as long as I have."

Dean laughed. "Alright, yes. She is good with them."

"I always thought she'd be a teacher like her mother."

"I thought her mom is a musician."

"Well, one paid the bills...anyway she was a teacher. Retired early, she's been roaming around India the last I spoke with her."

"India, wow."

"Yes…I think it's good Scarlett is traveling with you boys."

"I'm glad you think so...but any particular reason why?"

"She tries so hard not to be her mother sometimes that I think she misses who she is...and Zelda isn't all bad. She's just...searching. I see Scarlett searching too. Maybe this road-tripping will help her find whatever it is she's looking for while she's still young."

"Maybe." Dean contemplated Scarlett's growing powers.

"And anyway, she got too serious too quickly with that Jeremy loser and for much too long. It's time for her to have some fun!"

"Definitely."

"And we all feel better after meeting you boys; such nice young gentleman. I bet your parents are very proud."

Dean felt a twinge in his chest. "Actually," Dean stopped washing for a moment, "they're not… with us anymore."

Nana stopped drying the dishes and took Dean's hands. Dean looked down at her grip.

"Dear," she quietly called his attention and Dean looked into her hazel eyes, full of sentiment just like Scarlett's, "they are always with you." She squeezed his hands. "And I still bet they are very proud."

Dean became misty eyed and, before he knew it, Nana was wrapping him in the kind of warm and comforting embrace he hadn't known since childhood.

"There, there." Nana pulled away and braced Dean's forearms. "We continue marching."

Dean gave a half smile. "Yes ma'am." She had no idea how poignant she was.

"Alright, I think you earned your meal. I'll finish up in here; you go have some pie with your brother."

"Thank you, ma'am." Dean rinsed and dried his hands.

"And enough with the ma'am; I told you boys to call me Nana."

Dean chuckled. "Ok, Nana." He left the kitchen in search of Sam.

He found his brother outside with the kids, Spencer, and Scarlett.

"Hey, Sammy." Sam ran over from playing Frisbee.

"Hey."

"How ya doin'?"

"Great, dude...I mean it's surreal, but great."

"Yeah…" Dean watched Scarlett continue to play. "What do you mean?"

"Just that we do what we do so people can have lives like this."

"That's true." Dean agreed.

"Hey, Dean?"

"Yeah, Sammy?"

"Do you think we'll ever have lives like this?"

His protective big brother auto-pilot kicked in. "Yeah!" But then Dean sighed, really thinking the question, "Or at least...I hope so."

Scarlett, Sam, and Dean said goodbye to most of her family before they headed back to her aunt's house for one more night.

"I love you, honey." Nana said as she hugged her granddaughter. "That Dean is a good one, you know." She whispered into Scarlett's ear.

"Nana!"

"I know, just friends...for now." She winked at Scarlett and waved her off to the boys who were already waiting in the Impala.


	13. Chapter 13

_A blonde woman with pin-straight hair and bangs walks slowly into a dark abandoned building. The sound of bats screeching surrounds her._

 _A dark haired woman in a red satin blouse and black leather pants appears in front of her. The blonde girl startles and starts flailing her arms about._

" _I'm afraid your little witchy powers won't work on us, sweetie." Several other pale women come forward from the darkness. "See, we like L.A. and we don't plan on leaving; lots of night-life…" The four women exposed a grizzly set of fangs to the blonde. "To eat."_

 _They descend on the blonde and she does her best to fight them off, but even with her apparent knowledge of martial-arts the fight is still four to one._

 _The blonde girl shrieks as one of the women bites her and a blue light fills the room._

"Get up, freak!" Scarlett's cousin Erica was shaking her.

"What's going on?" Dean burst into the room.

"Nothing, she was having a nightmare!" Erica rolled her eyes and got back into bed.

Scarlett was still catching up with reality.

"Are you ok? Do you need some water?" Dean knelt down next to Scarlett's trundle. "What did you see?" He whispered.

"Ugh! Can you guys take this convo elsewhere? It's like 6AM!" Erica pulled her quilt over her head.

"Yeah, I could use some water." Scarlett got up and walked downstairs with Dean.

"So, was it a vision?" Dean asked as he followed Scarlett into the kitchen.

"Mm." Scarlett grunted and headed straight for the coffee maker. "I think so?"

"What's reserving you?"

"Well, it depends...are vampires real?"

"Definitely."

"Then I think we better head to California next."

"Really?"

"Yeah, L.A.; some blonde girl is or was or is going to be dinner."

"Fuckin' leeches." Dean said, disgusted.

Dean had a similar reaction to the mention of witches so Scarlett decided to leave out the part where the blonde girl might be one.

"So I kind of want to say goodbye to everyone before we head out, maybe take off could be at noon?" Scarlett asked Dean.

Dean sighed.

"What?"

"Well, it's just…" Dean scratched the back of his head.

"Spit it out."

"Are you sure you want to come with us?"

"How can you ask that?" Scarlett was shocked, surely she had proven her usefulness by now.

"How can I not?"

"Dean, I'm not afraid; I can handle myself and I think I've been pretty helpful."

Dean chuckled. "That's not what this is about."

"Then what?"

"Hunting...witchcraft… it's dangerous, Scarlett."

"Yeah, so you've said. Don't talk down to me, Dean."

"I'm not." Dean put his hands on Scarlett's shoulders. "Look. Sammy and I got into this fight… well, it's personal. And it's taken everything from us. And after yesterday, it's painstakingly apparent that you've got a lot to lose."

Scarlett sighed, turned away from Dean, and went to pour two mugs of coffee.

Scarlett took a seat at the kitchen table and pushed out another chair with her foot. "Sit."

Dean did as he was directed.

"I'm not going to pretend like I know what it's been like for you and your brother." Scarlett put her hand on Dean's. "I've seen pieces here and there, but I can't even imagine or begin to understand the kind of pain you two carry between you, and I hope I never have to. And you're right, I do have a lot to lose-"

Dean interrupted. "Scarlett, this is the kind of family I can only dream about for me and Sammy-"

"And they're why I want to keep going with you. I can't forget what I know now, or what I've seen. I can't do nothing while my family lives in a world full of monsters. And the visions I've had… they help people; I can't ignore that either."

"Well, I had to try."

"And I appreciate that, but enough with the caution sign, I've been at it almost two months now and I'm not changing my mind anytime soon."

"Okay, okay. I'll drop it."

After a long goodbye with her family, Scarlett and the boys set out on a three day drive to Los Angeles, California. They stayed in a 70's style motel called Jerry's for close to a month, checking out every abandoned warehouse building in a 50 mile radius: no blonde, no vampires, and no leads.

"All I'm saying is that we already know it works, what's the harm in making the tea?" Scarlett yelled at Dean.

"What's the harm? You said it yourself! Last time you used it to induce your visions you ended up vomiting and blacking out! Who knows what will happen this time?"

"We know I'll have a damn vision for one thing!"

"Face it Scarlett, that girl is dead and those vamps are long gone by now! You can't even tell when your visions take place anyway!"

"You're an ass, you know that?"

"Yeah well you're a-"

"Alright, enough!" Sam stepped in between them. "Both of you sit down and cool off."

They huffed, but both did as Sam said and sat down on opposite beds.

"Now I've already listened to you two bicker through Christmas, I'm not going to do another week of this and bring in the new year this way too."

"Well she-"

"Dean!" Sam held up a finger. "I think you better go find a bar and let off some steam, yeah?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Why am I the one who has to go?"

"Cause you're the one with a car." Sam pointed out.

"Whatever." Dean got up, grabbed his keys and stormed out.

"Alright, so what do you need for this tea?" Sam asked Scarlett.

"Really?!"

"Yeah really, it's not like we have any other leads."

"Oh, you're my favorite Winchester!" Scarlett jumped up and gave Sam a kiss on the cheek.

"We both know that's not true." Sam said under his breath.

"Pardon?" Scarlett asked.

"Oh nothing, just we should do this before he gets back."

"Right. Um... I think Bobby said Yarrow and Dandelion were easiest to find as weeds...but since we're in the city, I'm not sure." Scarlett grabbed one of the grimoires from her bag. "Here's the list of herbs that help."

Sam read over the page. "Right, we can find a lot of this at any new age Wicca shop, good thing we're in California, I'm sure there's one in the yellow pages."

"Great, you look through the phonebook and I'll call a cab."

After their shopping excursion, the two returned to Jerry's Motel to make the tea.

"Your place or mine?" Sam joked.

"Better make it y'all's room. Mine kinda smells like cat piss." Scarlett groaned.

"Hate to say it, but it's probably not a cat's."

"I hate to say it, but you're probably right."

They walk inside and Sam went straight to the motel coffee maker to start the tea.

"So why is your brother so touchy about witches? Bobby seems to think some are capable of white magic."

"Dean's a pretty black and white kind of hunter. He only puts stock in what we've seen and we've only seen witches do evil."

"But I'm a witch...or a psychic… I'm not really sure."

"They're very closely related...and I'm not sure you are a natural witch. Bobby seems to think so, but I've only seen you use psychic powers, but then again: there aren't too many natural witches so it might be one-in-the same."

"How are witches witches unnaturally?"

"They sell their souls to demons for power."

"Oh my God."

"Eventually they all end up serving evil. Here." Sam handed Scarlett the tea. "But all the evil I've seen...I just have to believe for all of the darkness there has to be just as much light."

Scarlett chugged the bitter tasting brew. "I hope you're right."

"Honestly, since we've met you I believe it even more."

"Meeting me? What? Why?"

"Your visions have only lead us to help people, it just seems like there's something pushing us to do good."

"And that's why you helped with the tea."

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I guess so. How long's this going to take, by the way."

"Oh, um...about a half hour last time, give or take."

"Well, then… what do you want to do?"

"How about let's watch some cartoons."

"Cartoons? Really?"

"Yeah, why not? Cartoons make the world a little less...scary."

"Alright. CartoonNetwork it is."

 _"Scooby Doo, where are you?!"_ The television shouted.

"Jackpot! Scooby is my absolute favorite." Scarlett squealed.

"Mine too! This is definitely the best Scooby time period."

"Agreed!"

This time it took an hour for the tea to kick-in.

 _The blonde girl walks out of a white spanish style apartment complex and crosses a neighborhood street in front of a black sign that reads 'Weyburn Terrace, UCLA.'_

"Are you okay?" Sam was ready with a cup of water. "I know how painful those can be."

"This one wasn't… it was just her walking out of her apartment complex."

"Still, you don't look so good."

"Yeah, that tea makes me queasy." Scarlett clutched her stomach.

"Hold on, baby, let me just make sure the room's ready." Dean backed into the motel room.

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"Sammayyy!"

"Great, you're hammered." Sam rolled his eyes.

"You said let off some steam...So listen, Krystal's waiting outside, which is kind of rude so could you and Scarlett go hang in her room for a bit while we… you know." Dean winked and elbowed his brother.

"What's going on in there?" Krystal opened the door.

"I'm gonna be sick." Scarlett vomited on the bed.

"Ew...um, actually I think I'm gonna go home." Krystal turned and left.

"Yeah, I think that's best." Sam shut the door behind her.

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 _A clock-radio turns from 4:59 to 5:00AM  
_ " _GOOOOOD Friday Morning, Los Angeles!"  
_ " _You're listening to KROQ 106.7FM!"  
_ " _And this is the Kevin & Bean Show!"  
_" _We're going to start you off right this morning with a classic Friday anthem from The Cure."  
*Instrumental Music*  
_" _I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's gray and Wednesday too, Thursday I don't care about you, it's Friday: I'm in love-"  
The blonde girl hits the alarm clock and slowly pushes herself out of bed with a yawn. She walks from her bed to her bathroom, splashes her face with water, and brushes her teeth. She goes to her bureau and pulls out a sports-bra and some joggers to put on. After changing, she eats a PowerBar and puts on her sneakers. She goes to her freezer and pulls out a coffee bag, shakes it, and realizes it's empty.  
She rolls her eyes and groans "Becca!" under her breath.  
She walks over to the living room and does some lunge stretches before she grabs her pink iPod Nano and it's arm-band off of her coffee table. She heads outside and starts a morning jog, running past the 'Weyburn Terrace: UCLA' sign again._

Scarlett shot straight up in bed, looking at the clock: 4:12AM.

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Dean woke up at 7AM the next morning with a pounding headache. The sliver of sunlight coming in through a crack in the curtains was enough to blind him.

"Ugh why does L.A. have to be so damn sunny?" Dean asked as he walked past Sam brushing his teeth and over to the toilet.

"Dude, you were ten kinds of fucked up last night; I'm surprised you're alive."

"Yeah I started off with just a couple beers but then the bartender started hitting on me and I went shot for shot with her on a bottle of whiskey." Dean smiled. "Whoo! She was hot; you shoulda seen her, Sammy."

"Who Krystal?"

"Yeah...how'd you… did I get lucky last night?" Dean looked pleased with himself.

Sam scoffed. "Definitely unlucky, man." He shook his head. "Your 'date' took off as soon as she walked in and saw Scarlett get sick on your bed."

"So that's what that smell is…" Dean scrunched up his face. "Wait, Scarlett saw her?"

Sam gave Dean a signature expression of his that said 'you sure stepped in it again' and shrugged. "Yep."

"Well, I'm sure it's fine…she's the who said we'd be better off keeping things strictly friendly between us… and that kiss was like three months ago, now."

Sam rolled his eyes and shook his head with a laugh. "Dude, you so don't get women."

"What and you do?" Dean scoffed. "Watch, I'll go over there right now; I'm sure she hasn't even thought about it."

"Good luck!" Sam chuckled.

Dean pulled on some pants and walked next door to see if Scarlett was awake.

"Scarlett, you up? It's Dean." He knocked without answer and returned to his room with Sam.

"I'm sure she's just asleep." Dean shrugged it off.

"Yeah, sure." Sam was finished getting ready.

"All the same...maybe you should go try and I'll take a shower. Just in case."

"Sure, just in case." Sam chuckled and went to get Scarlett.

"Hey Dean?" Sam returned.

"What's up?" Dean called from the shower.

"She didn't answer for me either."

"Well, it's still early; she's probably just not awake."

"Yeah...could be."

"Why do you have your worried voice?"

"Well…"

"Spit it out, Sammy."

"Scarlett and I made that psychic tea last night."

The shower shut off. "You what?!" Dean stepped out.

"Yeah…"

"Sam! She blacked out last time after she got sick! What if she's in there right now, choked on her own vomit?" Dean quickly put on jeans and a flannel, not bothering to button it.

"She said she felt fine after she puked last night, but now-"

"You're damn right 'but now'!" Dean stormed out.

"Where are you going?" Sam followed after him.

"Hi, excuse me; we lost our key to the other room." Dean pushed past some guests and walked straight up to the check in counter.

"Sir, you'll have to wait your turn." The receptionist said.

"Listen here, lady-" Sam pulled his brother back.

"Sorry about my brother, it's just our sister was pretty sick last night and now she's not answering her door. It's probably nothing, but as you can see our big bro gets protective. Do you think you could help us?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, of course! What room was it?"

"201."

She swiped a key card and gave it to Sam. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Sam smiled and took the key; he mouthed an apology to the other guesses before pushing Dean back outside. "Let's go, Rambo."

Dean rushed up to Scarlett's room, opened the door, and found it completely empty. Next he went back to his room, empty as well.

"So?" Sam ran up behind him.

"She's gone."

"Well let's try her cell. Maybe she just went for coffee. She's kind of an addict."

"Yeah, you're probably right."  
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Scarlett got out of a taxi at Veteran Ave. wearing a jogging set and put on her headphones.

"Thank you!" She handed the driver some cash and took off running down the road.

She turned the corner and spotted the blonde girl from her vision coming down Weyburn Ave. returning from her run. Scarlett crossed to her side and sped up her pace, looking down at the ground as she went. She slammed right into the blonde.

"OH!"

"OOF!"

They both fell flat on their butts.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry!" Scarlett apologized.

"No, no; it's my fault. I should've been paying attention."

"No, really: it's me. I'm such a spaz. I wish this were the first time."

The blonde girl laughed.

"Not a great way to treat my new neighbors; huh?" Scarlett chuckled.

"Oh, did you just move in?"

"Yes, transferred from New York."

"Oh, wow. Big difference."

"Yeah, hey, if you're free...would you let me buy you a coffee for you know, plowing you down? It's the least I could do."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Really, it's fine."

"To be honest, I have an ulterior motive…"

The girl looked intrigued.

"I don't really know anyone around here and I normally don't just ambush strangers I've just injured, but I'm trying to be more proactive about making acquaintances."

The blonde girl laughed. "Well, my roommate did leave me with an empty bag of coffee grounds today...so I guess you have great timing."

"Perfect!"

"There's a couple cafe's around the corner if you want to walk."

"Lead the way." Scarlett smiled. "I'm Scarlett, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, you can call me BJ."

They shook hands and walked down to a bakery for their coffees.

Scarlett spent the next half hour making smalltalk with BJ until Scarlett found her in when BJ began talking about L.A. nightlife.

"Speaking of, do you ever find it...dangerous here at night?"

"Um, no more than any other city I suppose. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have pepper spray, for sure." BJ sipped her coffee.

"Right, but nothing _unusual_?"

"Ugh, once I saw a homeless man masturbating at a bus stop."

"Gross...but no, I meant maybe something _unnatural_?"

BJ gave Scarlett a weird look. "Like what?" She asked hesitantly.

"You know, maybe something _supernatural_?" Scarlett whispered.

BJ's face dropped and her tone became serious. "Tell me who you are."

"What?"

"Who sent you?"

"Who? Nobody?"

"Why are you asking me these kinds of questions?"

Scarlett had definitely freaked her out. "Look, I'm-"

"Nevermind. It doesn't matter. This was a mistake, I'm outta here." BJ got up quickly to leave and Scarlett ran out of the cafe behind her.

"Wait! I had a vision about you! I think you're in danger!" Scarlett yelled down the street.

BJ stopped in her tracks, turned around, and pulled Scarlett into an alleyway between Gayley Ave. and Weyburn Pl.

"You can't just yell stuff like that in public!" BJ whispered harshly.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just...I'm new at this stuff, to be honest."

"Yeah, clearly." BJ rolled her eyes. "So, who are you really?"

"I'm really Scarlett...and I really did go to Cornell...I just also graduated like last year."

"No, I meant...you're a witch?"

"Well, I'm a psychic for sure; still deciphering the witch part."

BJ gave her another strange look. "Right...so, what did you see?"

"You in an abandoned building getting fed on by like a pack of nasty vampire women."

"Oh, sweetie." BJ shook her head.

"What?"

"Well, it wasn't a premonition. I took care of that nest like almost three months ago."

"Oh." Scarlett was a little disappointed. "I can't really tell if I'm seeing the past or the future sometimes."

"Don't worry about it, I mean...it's okay to be a late bloomer. Who's teaching you?"

"Teaching me?"

"Don't tell me you're at this alone?"

"Um, I wouldn't say 'alone'."

"Well, what would you say?"

"I've actually been traveling with some hunters."

"Hunters?"

"They hunt supernatural evil...kill it, put a stop to it."

"And they're…?"

"Two guys I know, they helped me with this like haunting type deal."

"So just normal humans; so irresponsible."

"I wouldn't call them normal."

"Still, it's dangerous."

"I mean, isn't the world kind of dangerous?"

"Yeah, listen...how long are you in town for?"

"Um, we don't exactly have a timeline."

BJ held out her hand and pen and paper appeared in it.

"Oh my god, how did you do that?"

BJ looked to Scarlett and smiled. "Magic, duh."

She wrote down her phone number on the pad, tore off the piece of paper and handed it to Scarlett before waving her hand and making the items disappear again.

"I have a class in like an hour and I'm still sweaty and gross. Give me a call later and we can meet up for dinner or something."

"Okay, what for?"

"Look, usually when you have visions of someone it's for a reason. So just...call me. Okay?"

"Sure."

"Alright, later." BJ jogged off.

Scarlett's phone rang, it was Dean.

"Hello?"

" _Where are you?"_

"Out."

" _Yeah, I noticed. Anywhere specific?"_

"Why?"

" _Well, cause...like, this is stupid. Where the fuck are you Scarlett? You can't just run off and not tell anyone where you are. We thought you were dead!"_

"Dramatic, much? I'm fine. I went to meet up with the girl from my vision."

" _You found her?"_

"Yep."

" _And?"_

"And we're having dinner later."

" _Dinner?"_

"Yeah. Dinner."

" _Alright...you'll tell us more when you get back?"_

"Sure. When I get back."

" _And when are you getting back?"_

"When I do." Scarlett hung up.

Scarlett knew she was being a bit more frosty than she really had a right to, but Dean's little stunt last night was a strong dose of reality that she wasn't expecting. Sure, Dean and her hadn't discussed anything romantic since she told him to forget their kiss almost three months ago. But they did have...something, a kind of chemistry or tension between them that filled a room when they were together; which was pretty much all the time given their road trip. Scarlett thought about all the times she'd caught him looking at her with such an intense focus that her body would instantly overheat; and though Scarlett knew logically that intimate looks and palpable energy did not a relationship make...her heart still dropped into her stomach when she saw Dean bring _'Krystal'_ back to his Motel room last night- even though she'd successfully scared that one away, she was a reminder that Dean was free to do whatever (and _whoever_ ) he liked and that traveling with the Winchester brothers may mean coming face to face with a more...indellicate side of Dean.


	14. Chapter 14

When Scarlett returned to her motel room next to brothers' that morning she noticed The Impala was not in the parking lot and figured the boys had left for breakfast. She quietly praised her luck and went inside to shower and change before heading back out to walk around Los Angeles. They'd spent so much of the last month just looking for abandoned buildings and canvassing the areas around ones they found that Scarlett hadn't had any downtime to actually enjoy the city. She dodged calls from the brothers for most of the daytime and they finally stopped trying around 4PM. At 5PM Scarlett gave BJ a call and the two made plans to meet for dinner at 6; Scarlett was extremely anxious to talk to another female about witchcraft, especially one that seemed to be so well-adjusted.

"I swear to GOD I am going to put a GPS tracker her damn phone." Dean huffed as he tried her cell for the twentieth time that day.

"Dean, calm down. Don't you think you're overreacting? I'm sure she'll be back from her dinner soon and we'll hear all about it."

"I'm overreacting? _I'M_ overreacting?" Dean scoffed. "I'm getting shit-tested by a woman who isn't even my girlfriend."

"I don't know, man, I think she probably just needs some space. We've all been cooped up together for months. Emotions are bound to run high." Sam reasoned. "And by the way, calling her time-out a 'shit-test' makes you sound like an asshole. You guys have been bickering for like three weeks straight, maybe let this night off do you some good."

"Well, she doesn't bicker with you."

"Yeah, dude. That's my point."

"What point?"

"Sometimes you are so dense it's like a miracle we're related." Sam shook his head.

Dean took a deep breath. He knew his little brother was right and that his behavior last night was not totally Kosher, but he'd never been good at apologies...something he picked up from his father, no doubt. And he was frustrated with Scarlett for disappearing without so much as a note; she knew what was out there now, how could she be so careless?

A knock came at their motel door.

Dean rushed over to answer it.

"Dude!" Sam whispered before Dean he opened the door. "Chill. Don't be so desperate."

"Fuck!" Dean didn't even recognize himself. "You're right. You answer."

Sam walked over. "Who is it?"

"It's Scarlett."

"Decided to grace us with your presence finally?" Sam asked as he answered the door.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I just...was busy." Scarlett entered.

"Apparently." Dean muttered from across the room.

Sam cleared his throat.

Dean rolled his eyes and walked over to the other two. "So, how was your 'dinner'?"

"It was good, BJ is really nice."

Dean's eyes lit up. "BJ...as in-"

"Don't!" Scarlett stopped him.

"Dean's humor hasn't progressed past the 7th grade." Sam said.

Dean sighed. "You both are no fun."

"Anyway! Turns out BJ is a….a hunter." Scarlett opted to leave out the part about BJ being a practicing witch...again.

"Really?"

"Yep, a demon kidnapped her sister when they were kids; been at it ever since."

"Huh. So what about the vampire nest?" Sam asked.

"Apparently that's all squared away."

"Really?" Dean was skeptical.

"Yeah, three months ago she and another hunter friend took care of them. My vision just cut out before her backup came through."

"Well then...so glad we wasted all this time here." Dean grumbled.

"Hey, better safe than sorry right?" Sam offered. "I'm glad she's okay."

"Yeah, plus we have a new contact; BJ seems really knowledgeable about...psychic stuff."

"Psychic stuff?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, she said that she thinks there's a reason behind why psychics see certain things, like...a higher power or whatever uses them to communicate."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a whack-job."

"Ok so, let me get this straight: Hell you believe in but not Heaven?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Dean nodded.

"And black magic you believe in, but not white magic?"

"Correct again."

Scarlett shook her head and thought back to when Sam was possessed, how easily Dean gave into the negativity. She'd thought about it before, how odd it was that someone so strong and with such purpose as he could accept defeat over his spirit so quickly. But now she started to understand: Dean had no hope, just drive. A sense of duty and responsibility that he let consume him in order to push forward. "That's so depressing."

"Reality is depressing, but at least I'm not living in a fantasy world deluding myself into believing in rainbows and unicorns."

"Dean, rainbows are real." Sam interjected.

"Oh, you know what I mean!" Dean groaned.

"Well you're wrong." Scarlett said decidedly.

"And what makes you so sure?" Dean asked.

"BJ."

"BJ? The girl you just met? Miss everything happens for a reason?"

"Yes." Scarlett decided to tell the boys what she'd been dancing around since her first vision of BJ. "BJ is a good witch; practices white magic," Dean's eyes looked like they were about to explode and Scarlett wondered if maybe she made a bad decision, but since she'd already started, might as well finish: "and so does her coven."

"HER COVEN?!" Dean exploded.

"Oh shit." Sam peeped.

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?!"

"Since my first vision."

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"

"Oh my God, calm down-"

"I AM CALM!"

"You're about as calm as a hurricane." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"DID YOU JUST-" Dean closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them to give Scarlett a very serious stare. "You will not see her again."

"Excuse me?" Scarlett put her hand on her hip.

"You heard me. I forbid you to see her again."

Scarlett scoffed. "I know you did not just fucking say that."

"Oh I said it, and I mean it."

"HAH! Well, you better get used to disappointment cause not only am I going to see her again, but I'm going to a New Year's party with her." Scarlett said in a taunting tone.

"Oh come on, stop acting like a petulant fucking 16 year old!"

"Maybe I would if you'd stop acting like you're my fucking parent!"

"Yeah well, stop acting lik-"

"Oh dear God, would both of you SHUT UP?!" Sam yelled.

Scarlett and Dean both fell silent.

"Thank you!" Sam huffed. "Scarlett, it was really irresponsible and reckless of you to go off with a witch without telling us she was magical or where you were."

"Thank you!" Dean threw his hands in the air.

"And, Dean! Stop talking to Scarlett as if she were a child, it's bordering on misogyny at this point."

"That's right!" Scarlett nodded.

"Now can both of you act like adults and compromise?"

Scarlett and Dean looked begrudgingly at each other.

"I know I can." Scarlett said snidely.

Dean rolled his eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

"Scarlett, do you think we could meet BJ and check her out a bit before you go running off into the night to party with a complete stranger?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I guess that's fair."

"And Dean, can you at least meet this BJ before you judge her and entertain the possibility that good people can also be supernatural; after all, Scarlett and I are."

Dean sighed. "Yeah, I guess I can."

"Great, now can I have the keys to the Impala?" Sam continued.

"What, why?" Dean didn't follow.

"Cause I want to go to the movies or something; I need to get the fuck away from both of you."

"I guess that's fair too." Dean tossed the keys to his brother. "You be careful with my Baby, though."

Sam stormed out.

Scarlett and Dean sat on opposite beds in silence for a moment.

"So-" "Wha-" They both started at the same time.

"What?" They said in unison.

Each paused for the other to continue.

"I'm-" "We-"

They both groaned and fell backwards onto their beds.

"Why do we keep fighting like this?" Scarlett asked genuinely.

"I don't know." Dean sighed. "I don't mean to, I just get so...so…"

"Frustrated?"

"Exactly."

"Same." Scarlett sighed.

Dean sat up and looked over to her.

"Why didn't you tell me about her being a witch?"

Scarlett sat up. "Truthfully?" She looked at Dean.

"Please."

"Because it's so obvious you hate everything supernatural. I thought you wouldn't want to help her."

Dean walked over, sat down next to Scarlett, and looked her straight in the eye. "I don't hate _everything_ supernatural."

Scarlett felt her eyes well and she tried to swallow back her emotion. "Really?"

"Absolutely." He put his arm around her. "What I do hate is that you felt you had to lie to me."

"I know, I'm sorry." She let her head fall to the side and rest on his shoulder.

"That's-" Dean lost his train of thought for a moment after he absentmindedly inhaled the sweet smell of citrus-rose from Scarlett's hair.

"That's…?" Scarlett called his attention.

He cleared his throat and caught up to himself. "That's alright, it's on me too." Dean exhaled. "I'm not very good at expressing worry - being an asshole comes a lot easier, let me tell you."

Scarlett chuckled. "Yeah, I default to bitch pretty easily myself."

Dean removed his arm from across Scarlett's shoulders and turned to look her in the eye again. "Look, before we put this behind us I need you to understand something."

Scarlett's hazel eyes darkened to match Dean's intensity. "I'm listening."

"Hunting is about teamwork. We rely on each other out there and we are quite literally trusting our lives with each other. Misinformation, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential, can get someone killed. I know I can be rough about this…Sometimes I forget you didn't grow up in it, you've taken so much in stride. But I also need you to remember that I've been living and breathing hunting since I was four; when I'm harsh it's because I couldn't live with myself if…" Dean broke eye contact. "I invited you with us, brought you into this; if you got hurt or worse- I just need you to take this seriously." He returned to her eye-line to gage her comprehension.

Scarlett realized how petty she'd been with him and felt the guilt of her actions churn in her stomach. "I'm so sorry...I haven't been thinking about anyone but myself." She hung her head.

Dean chuckled. "That's not what I meant at all." Scarlett looked back up at Dean and watched his emerald eyes relax into peridot as he continued. "You think so much about helping everyone else that I'm afraid you don't think about your own safety."

Scarlett laughed. "That's just called being a woman."

Dean felt his mouth turn into a soft smile. He loved the sound of her playful laughter and realized he hadn't heard it in a while; mentally he kicked himself for contributing to its declining presence in the past weeks. He kept her gaze and studied her expression for a moment; her eyes always seemed to smolder with all of her emotions just behind a hazel veil, like glowing embers below the surface of cooling coal. Scarlett inhaled deeply and Dean, holding steady his stare, took in her her expanding chest -causing his own breath to thicken. Scarlett bit her bottom lip and Dean almost lost it when he caught her eye flit to his mouth. He watched as she inhaled heavily and exhaled slowly, desperately trying to control her breath. Dean's mind came undone at the thought of how it would feel to have her claw into him again. He saw her eyes close and his own followed suit. He felt her breath on his lips as her gravity pulled him in. He slowly reached up, intent on holding her face, when Scarlett took a sharp inhale and broke his reverie. Dean remembered her dismissal at Bobby's and, not keen on revisiting that awkwardness, he pulled back from her. Scarlett opened her eyes and Dean looked into them and watched as opportunity curtailed into frigidity and that into indifference.

"Good talk." Scarlett said and got up.

Dean sighed. "Where are you going?"

"I think we both could use some rest." She walked towards the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight."

Scarlett paused in acknowledgement and, without turning around, she left the motel room: shutting the door behind her.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxx Adult Content xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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.

Alone in her own motel room, Scarlett let go of the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and quickly dressed down and got into bed. When she turned out the light on the table beside her, she could almost see two piercing eyes staring back at her in the darkness. She tried to shake the sensation and closed her own eyes tight, only to see that beautiful stare intensify. Dean's sea-green eyes were burned into her mind like a hot-iron brand. How dare he look at her with such a noticeable hunger! How was she expected to react to that kind of primal tension? Regardless of what was expected, she did have an extremely potent reaction. Scarlett pulled her knees towards the ceiling and gently felt across her hip-dip, over her lower abdomen, down below her navel and slipped a hand into her soft cotton panties. She thought about how obviously she affected him as she slowly drew circles around her swelling clit. She loved seeing him react to her that way and she liked to imagined how pleased he must also feel at her own response to him. She slid her pointer and middle fingers in between her lips and down her damp slit, continuing the circles with her thumb. She thought about his hot breath on her face from his mouth just barely touching hers and pushed one finger into her moist cave, followed by the other. She thought about how dizzy her head became the closer he moved to her, much like the dizziness that overwhelmed her as she pulsed her g-spot. She imagined how good it would feel to have Dean's fingers inside her, beckoning her to climax. She pulled her fingers from her now soaking wet hole and rubbed her juices back up to her throbbing clit. She massaged furiously at the sensitive bead and thought about how Dean's tongue would feel flicking across the same spot. She felt her orgasm swell and plunged her fingers deep into her her hole causing her to spill over. Her toes curled and her body tingled in pleasure, but she knew it was only a fraction of the ecstasy it would be to have Dean inside her making her come.


	15. Chapter 15

On Sunday BJ agreed to meet with Scarlett, Sam, and Dean for brunch.

"Well, she's late." Dean grumbled at the patio table.

"Oh, by five minutes: let's burn her at the stake." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Scar!" BJ waved from down the sidewalk before heading into the restaurant.

"Whoa...is that her?" Sam asked.

"Yep." Scarlett smirked at Sam's dropped jaw.

"She's already calling you 'Scar'? A little soon for nicknames, don't you think?" Dean mattered.

"Knock it off, you're being ridiculous." Scarlett snapped.

BJ walked up to the table. "Oh, now I get it." She winked at Scarlett.

Scarlett chuckled. "Sam, Dean this is BJ."

BJ shook their hands as she took a seat.

"...hi." Sam blushed at her.

"Oh, wow. What a cutie." BJ smiled at Sam.

"Alright, alright. Let's get down to it." Dean leaned into the table.

"Dean!" Scarlet hit his arm.

"No, it's fine. I get it, they want to make sure you're safe." BJ nodded. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, what's your pitch?"

"Um...my pitch?"

"Yeah, let's hear it straight. What do you want from Scarlett?"

"Dean!" Sam kicked his brother under the table.

"What? I don't want anything from her." BJ insisted.

"Well then what's your 'reason' for her having a vision of you?"

"Shh!" BJ urged. "Careful, you can't just go around blabbing about this stuff."

"Are you kidding? No one's listening to us." Dean rolled his eyes.

"First of all, you never know who is listening." BJ leaned in and whispered. "Second, I already shouldn't be talking to you about this anyway, so could you at least try to be discrete?"

"Why shouldn't you be talking to us?" Sam got up the nerve to ask BJ directly.

"Just...it's against the rules. Since you're, y'know...not magical."

"What rules?" Dean asked.

"White magic comes with a lot, and I mean A LOT of rules. First one being: never expose your secret unless it's absolutely necessary for the greater-good."

"Y'hear that Dean, _white magic_." Scarlett emphasized.

"Yes, Scarlett told me you didn't think there was good magic, and that you didn't know much about natural witches. That's because we don't really advertise our existence."

"Makes sense." Sam nodded.

"Hold on a minute; if you're so good then why do you have to hide?"

"I think you would know especially well that Evil lurks everywhere and tries to thwart Good as often as possible. We keep ourselves hidden partly to be able to affect as much Good as possible before Evil tracks us, and partly because historically humans don't do so well with the existence of witches. All of the black magic out there makes them _untrusting_." BJ raised her brows at Dean.

"Okay...but what about your coven?"

"My coven?"

"The other witches you practice with." Scarlett reminded her.

"Right, it's just I wouldn't call them my coven...but I guess it's not far off." BJ smiled. "They're just three sister-witches that helped me learn about witchcraft when I was new to my powers. One of their powers was drawn to mine and she knew she was meant to help me...it's what I think happened with Scarlett and me."

"What do you think she's supposed to help you with?" Sam asked.

"No, not help me...Scarlett doesn't know how to use her powers, she's been learning on her own just like I was...but without proper guidance witchcraft is dangerous and can easily turn evil."

"So, what? You want to take her away to your 'not a coven' coven?" Dean asked accusingly.

"I'm not trying to take her away, the sisters that taught me don't even live here." BJ looked to Scarlett. "I'm just saying that I'm here if I'm needed."

Scarlett smiled at her. "Thank you."

"I don't know, seems kind of...fishy." Dean was still weary.

"Look, I'm not asking you to trust me, even though I am trusting you. I just want Scarlett to be open to it if she needs my help. In my experience, visions happen for a reason and she'll know it when it comes. That's all. And besides, how much evil can really happen at brunch?" BJ joked.

"HAH!" Sam let out an awkward bellow.

BJ giggled at him.

"Oh, brother." Dean rolled his eyes.

"So are we going to the New Year's party or what?" Scarlett asked.

"Definitely." Sam said, smiling at BJ.

"You guys go, I'm going to track down any hunting patterns in the area."

"Oh, come on!" Scarlett pleaded.

"Yeah, I swear I'm Glenda." BJ insisted. "Plus, who will be Scarlett's midnight kiss?"

Scarlett choked on her water.

"Oh, we're not…" Dean squirmed in his seat.

Scarlett cleared her throat. "He's not my…"

"No." They both shook their heads.

"Anyway, I'll drop you guys off, though." Dean avoided eye contact with anyone at the table.

"Sure, responsible." Scarlett agreed with blushing cheeks.

"Yeah." BJ rolled her eyes. "Clearly there's nothing between you."

Sam snickered.

"You're really going to stay here?" Sam called to his brother from the motel bathroom.

"No, I'm going to drive you there, remember?" Dean said as he read through the obituaries.

"C'mon, dude. BJ's right, tonight's party is the perfect reason to kiss Scarlett." Sam started getting dressed.

"Number one: I don't like parties, number two: I don't want to kiss Scarlett."

"Number one: yes you do, number two: yes you definitely do." Sam laughed.

"Whatever." Dean continued scanning the paper.

A knock came at their door. "It's Scarlett!" She called from outside.

Dean checked that his brother was clothed and then got up to answer the door.

"Sam ready?" She asked.

Dean froze. Scarlett was wearing a small black dress with a plunging neckline, a black and gold sequined jacket and pointed-toe black stilettos. Her hair was pinned up loosely in the back, but her bangs were down framing her made up face. Her shadow was smokey and there was sparkling black cat-eyeliner tracing her thick black lashes. Her lips were a dark red matte and they were saying something to Dean.

"What? Did my mascara smudge?"

"N-no." Dean stammered and opened the door for her to walk in. "You look...wow."

"Thank you." Scarlett smiled and walked inside.

((remove all spaces and add dotcom after "img" and it's a link for Scarlett's outfit inspo: i. pin img /originals / 23/ a6/ 4d/ 23a64de4a084bb3227dfc8469ae9c671. jp g ))

"Wow, Sam. You clean up well." Scarlett walked over to where Sam was fidgeting with his black bowtie in front of the mirror. "Here." She tied it for him.

"How do you know how to tie a tie?" Dean asked.

"Big families mean lots of weddings." Scarlett smiled and patted the bow.

"Dude, you look like a waiter." Dean laughed.

"Shut up!" Sam spat.

Scarlett took a step back. "You _are_ a little formal." Scarlett shrugged.

"You think?"

"Yeah, I mean...it's LA but they're still college students I assume."

"Well, what should I wear then?"

"Aw, Sammy's nervous to see his crush." Dean teased.

Scarlett giggled. "I'm sure BJ will like whatever you wear...but maybe lose the dress coat and switch out the bowtie for a long black tie."

"Okay." Sam quickly changed. "What do you think?"

Scarlett gave him a thumbs up. "Classic."

"Great, then if you girls are ready to go…?"

Dean drove them to an address in The Hills that BJ had given Scarlett. About 100 cars lined the street leading up to the white mid-century-modern home.

"Looks...big." Sam was starting to get nervous.

"Slow down, I'll call BJ and have her meet us out front." Scarlett did as she said. "Okay she's wearing a gold sequined dress and she's with- oh! That's them!"

((remove all spaces and add dotcom after "img" and it's a link for BJ's outfit inspo: i. pin img /originals / 0b/ fc/ 86/ 0bfc86907f1fb4778ad8e0eb71fc27a4. jp g ))

"Them?" Sam and Dean asked together.

"Yeah, her and her friend Trent; this is his dad's house."

"Oh, is he…?" Sam looked disappointed.

"No, they're just friends." Scarlett smiled at Sam. "Don't worry, BJ is _very_ excited to see you again."

"Hey guys!" BJ waved as they pulled up; she was standing with a man who looked like he was to star in the next James Bond film.

Dean rolled down his window to get a better scope of this 'Trent' character while Sam and Scarlett got out of the Impala.

"Trent this is Scarlett, the girl I was telling you about." BJ smiled. "And these are her friends: Sam and Dean."

"So nice to meet you. Glad you could come!" Trent said warmly. "Y'know you can give your keys to the Valet, he'll find a spot for you." Trent called a young man over.

"No thanks. I'm not staying."

"Oh, that's too bad." Trent said.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're real broken up about it." Dean muttered under his breath.

"What?" Trent asked.

"Dean's got some work to catch up on." Scarlett laughed uncomfortably and Dean noticed her touch Trent's arm. "Thank you so much for having us."

"Of course, well...then shall we?" Trent offered his elbow to Scarlett.

She looked to Dean, who looked back at the street in front of him with a hard stare, and Scarlett linked arms with Trent.

"I'll be back at 2." Dean said before pulling the car away and speeding off.

"Well bye, then!" Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Sorry about my brother, he's…" Sam tried to think of an excuse to give BJ. "Honestly, he's just rude."

BJ laughed. "It's ok." She linked arms with Sam. "I think I get it." She smirked at Scarlett.

"I don't know, I love them all rugged and dangerous like that." Trent fanned his face.

Scarlett scoffed. "He loves to think of himself like that."

"Trent loves a bad-boy." BJ informed them.

"Guilty as charged." Trent laughed. "...and usually they are too." He said out of the side of his mouth.

"Ugh! Hot, witty, and rich. Of course you're gay." Scarlett groaned.

"I know! All the good ones…" BJ started to agree. "Well, I guess not _all._ " She Smiled up at Sam.

"Oh, girl! Look at you flirt." Trent teased and Sam turned bright red.

"I just love to see him blush!" BJ giggled.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm getting jealous, so I'm just going to turn to my date over here." Trent looked to Scarlett on his arm and they entered a house that was more windows than walls. "So Scarlett, where are you from?"

"Originally Florida."

"Scarlett from the south? Miss O'Hara, I didn't realize. Should I be Rhett or Ashley."

"My dear, you should be Ashley." Scarlett put on her best southern belle drawl. "Since I can never have you."

"Mhm, and her Rhett just drove off." BJ teased.

"Oh please!" Scarlett's cheeks matched her name.

"Don't worry, Scarlett. I'd never leave a belle unaccompanied. I'll be your New Year's kiss." Trent gave her a wink.

"I gotta admit: I never read 'Gone with the Wind'." Sam shrugged and the foursome continued into the party.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Dean fumed all the way back to the motel. Who was that random man 'BJ' had waiting to meet Scarlett? BJ herself had only met Scarlett two days ago, how could she possibly pick out a good blind date for her? And he's throwing a Gatsby party at his parents house like a spoiled trust-fund baby? So irresponsible, unlike Dean who was doing what they had come to L.A. to do in the first place: hunt demons. Dean sat down to the collection of newspapers from the past month and tried to direct his attention to finding some kind of pattern. Muggings, gang violence, breaking and entering, assault, murder: California was a dangerous place! And it's not like Sam was paying attention since BJ was there wearing a sequined napkin. Maybe he should go back down there just to make sure that they were both safe. He wouldn't even have to go in, just park close enough that he wouldn't have to drive all the way across town if they needed him. He had to pick them up anyway, he could just bring the newspapers and read while he waited for them to be finished partying...drinking...dancing...kissing strangers. Scarlett shouldn't have to have some creepy 'Trent' guy she doesn't even know try to stick his tongue down her throat under the ruse of something as innocent as a New Year's kiss. Scarlett might not even want a New Year's kiss...and if she did it should be with someone who cared about her...like a friend. Dean was her friend. If he were at the party she could share a friendly kiss instead of bringing in the New Year with some pervert. Really it was his duty as a good friend to go back…Dean checked his watch: 11:20 PM… he could make it.  
Dean quickly changed out of his flannel and into a black button down; but left on his dark denim jeans (not wanting to seem too invested) and headed back out to the Hollywood Hills. His stomach flip-flopped as he pulled up to the house, got out, and tossed his keys to the valet. He could hear the party-crowd counting down inside.

 _"10!"_  
Dean dropped Trent's name at the door.

 _"9!"_  
He entered the foyer where one girl was vomiting into a potted plant.

 _"8!"_  
He walked down a hall lined with framed gold and platinum records where two men were passed out on the floor sitting up against the wall.

 _"7!"_  
He checked in the kitchen where five people were digging through cupboards and the refrigerator for food: none of them Scarlett.

 _"6!"_  
He opened a door that turned out to be a bathroom where three people were snorting lines off the counter; thank goodness: none of them Scarlett.

 _"5!"_  
He found a family room where 20 people who weren't Scarlett were gathered around a few hookahs watching New Year's Rockin' Eve.

 _"4!"_  
He peeped inside a bedroom where...nevermind, Scarlett wasn't there.

 _"3!"_  
He walked through the sliding-glass-doors to the patio where people were playing with confetti-poppers: none of whom had seen Scarlett.

 _"2!"_  
He spotted Sam and Scarlett across the pool, Trent's arm wrapped around Scarlett's middle, and BJ pouring them champagne flutes.

 _"1!"_  
Trent and Scarlett kissed and laughed and all four of them toasted.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"


	16. Chapter 16

_Hey guys!_  
 _Sorry it's been so long; Holiday, family, yada yada..._  
 _Anyhoo, the next few chapters will be rewriting Supernatural Season 2 Episode 17: so sorry for the change of history; it shouldn't affect the overall plot integrity, though. You may have noticed I'm folding in a Charmed element...however, I'm not classifying this as a crossover since there isn't going to be much Charmed involvement in this story; but in my mind they happen in the same universe and I want to leave open the possibility of doing a charmed/supernatural crossover later on._  
 _Hope you guys had a nice holiday._  
 _xoxo Thanks for reading!_

"So, how was the party?" Dean asked as Sam and Scarlett got into the Impala.

"It was fun." Scarlett said with a big smile.

"Yeah, B-" Sam started.

"Fun? Yeah, I bet it was fun." Dean sneered at Scarlett through the rearview mirror.

"What's with the attitude?" Scarlett asked.

"Attitude? Who has an attitude? I just love driving you around to parties like your own personal car service, Miss Hart."

"You offered to drive us; and by the way, it was an 'us', Sam just came out of that party too."

"Yeah well, Sam didn't go to parties before you came along; you're a bad influence with your- your- your loose morals!"

"Are you kidding me with this?!"

"C'mon, man. That's enough." Sam cut in.

"No, it's fine Sam. Dean is just jealous."

"HAH!" Dean snorted.

"Yeah, you're jealous that we actually know how to have fun and all you know how to do is sit in a Motel and OBSESS about demons!"

"Listen, sister; I know how to have fun."

"Yeah, I can tell from all the obits." Scarlett threw around the newspaper pages in the backseat.

"I'll have you know I did go out tonight! I just didn't want to go out with you!"

"Yeah right." Scarlett laughed.

"He does look a little more dressed up…" Sam interjected.

"Yeah. Ok. Where'd you go, Dean? To hang out with all your friends?"

"I'll have you know I want out with a girl I know in-town."

"Oh yeah? How is the escort selection in L.A.?"

"I promise you, I've never had to pay for it." Dean scoffed. "Especially not with Krystal."

"Speaking of loose morals."

"Dude, can we just go?" Sam asked. "I think my hangover is starting early."

"Yeah, Dean. Your chauffeur expertise is needed." Scarlett crossed her arms, sunk into the backseat, and stared out the window defiantly.

When they arrived back at the motel, Scarlett stomped off to her room before either of the boys had even gotten out of the car.

"What's up with you, man?" Sam asked his brother.

"What do you mean?" Dean let them into their room.

"You're being a real dick; eventually she's going to stop being interested in you at all."

"She's not interested in me now." Dean muttered.

"C'mon, you know she wouldn't get that upset about the shit you say if she weren't."

"Well maybe she shouldn't be. Maybe she should stay here with BJ and Trent and learn all about that witchy crap."

"Oh my God. So that's what this is about."

"What what is about?"

"Dean, he's gay."

"Who's gay?"

"Trent."

"What?"

"Yeah; he's a gay man."

"But…"

"But what?"

"Nothing. Nevermind. I'm going to bed."

.

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.

The next morning Scarlett woke up with a pounding head- scratch that, it was the door that was pounding.

"Who is it?!" She called.

"Dean."

"I'm not here!" She yelled.

"Scarlett, please. I have a peace offering!"

"Go away!" She groaned and pulled the comforter over her head.

"I have a four shot latte and a cruller."

Scarlett got up to walk to the door and, leaving the chain locked, she opened it.

"Scarlett I-"

"Breakfast: I'll take; your shit: I'm over."

Dean passed the coffee and donut through the cracked door to Scarlett.

"I know, I'm sorry and-"

Scarlett shut the door.

"Scarlett, I'm sorry!" Dean called through the door.

 _Heard that before._

"You have every right to be upset."

 _Didn't need your permission._

"I'm an asshole."

 _Yup._

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

 _More than a $7 breakfast._

Scarlett heard a thud on the door and a loud sigh.

"Would you please open the door?"

 _Smh._

"Or at least talk to me...please?"

 _Pitiful._

Scarlett opened the door and Dean fell backwards into her room.

Dean shouted "Fuck!" and Scarlett laughed at him.

"Why would you be leaning against a door you asked me to open?"

"I guess I didn't think you would." Dean picked himself up off the carpet.

"Well, I shouldn't have." Scarlett crossed her arms, leaned into her hip, and gave Dean a severe look.

"Why did you?" He was giving her puppy dog eyes.

"Because you're pathetic and I'm a sucker."

"I really am sorry."

"You know, that's starting to mean nothing to me."

"I don't know what else to say."

"Nothing, I don't want you to _say_ anything. I'm tired of your explanations and excuses and apologies: they're worthless."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to stop acting like an asshole all the damn time. I mean, what the fuck even was that last night?"

"Nothing. It was stupid."

"Well, at least we can agree on that." Scarlett sighed. "I'm sick of fighting with you. It's exhausting and half the time I don't even know why it's happening."

"I know."

"Do you? Cause I'd love an explanation."

"Look, last night you...you were right."

"About?"

"Me being jealous."

"Dean, you could have come to the party. _You_ chose not to stay."

"No I didn't."

"What are you talking about? Yes you-"

"No, I mean I did...but I came back."

"Oh, you mean to pick us up and bitch me out?" Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"No, I came back to the party earlier than that."

"Well I didn't see you; what were you doing?"

"I was…" Dean looked down at Scarlett and she tried to read the expression he was giving her. Anger? Frustration? Fear? She couldn't place it, but whatever it was: it was intense.

"Dean...what were you doing there?" Scarlett's mind turned to worry.

"I...I…" His brows furrowed. "I found a werewolf pattern in the news papers." Dean cleared his throat.

"Oh."

"Yeah, in San Francisco. We should probably get up there today...it looks like the thing kills during the nights before and after the full moon which starts tomorrow night."

"Alright, well I'll get packed up."

"Okay." Dean turned back to Scarlett before he left. "Scar?"

His eyes were sad.

Scarlett sighed, "I know: you're sorry."

"I am."

"Good." Scarlett turned away and walked to her suitcase.

"We'll meet you at the car." Dean said as he opened the door.

He left her to pack up.

Scarlett took out her cell and called BJ, but got her voicemail.

"Hey, it's Scarlett. I know I told you I'd give you a heads up before we left town, but a time-sensitive case just popped up. We're heading to San Francisco in a few; I'll be in-touch."

Scarlett hung up and got ready to leave the motel.

.

.

.

"So, what's the pattern you found?" Sam asked Dean.

"Maulings in the middle of the city, a few different women."

"Jesus, let me read." Scarlett said from the backseat.

"Paper's in the back with you; under Sam's seat." Dean said.

Scarlett reached down under Sam's seat and pulled out the obituary clippings and headline page. "Wolves in San Francisco?" Scarlett read aloud. "That's ridi-"

 _"Hi Madison." A gangly man with mossy hair greets a raven-haired woman in an apartment building.  
_ _"Oh, hey Glen." She smiles warmly at him.  
_ _"H-how've you been?" Glen stutters as Madison walks up to her apartment door across from his.  
_ _"I'm good, how about y-"  
_ _"Madi!" A grungy looking man with greasy black hair comes out from Madison's apartment.  
_ _"Hey, baby. I was just coming inside." Madison's body visibly shrinks and she shifts her eyes to the ground.  
_ _"Get inside." The man demands and pulls Madison into the apartment.  
_ _"Kurt." Glen nods.  
_ _"I told you to stop talking to my girl." Kurt gets into Glen's face. "You won't like what happens if I catch you at it again." He shoves Glen and stares him down as he walks back into the apartment with Madison.  
_ _"You don't have to be so mean to him, Glen is harmless." Madison says sheepishly.  
_ _"Why are you sticking up for that pussy?" Kurt growls at her.  
_ _"I-I'm not."  
_ _"Are you fucking that loser?"  
_ _"No, baby, of course not." Madison coos.  
_ _"I swear to God, Madi. If I ever found you cheating-"  
_ _"Shhh. Kurt, I would never. You know I love you." Madison hugs Kurt.  
_ _He wraps his arms around her tight. "You better."_

"You okay back there?" Dean looked at Scarlett through the rear-view mirror.

"Yeah, just a vision."

"We were wondering why you cut out." Sam said.

"You can't tell when I'm seeing something yet?" Scarlett scoffed.

"You weren't screaming." Dean said.

Scarlett realized she wasn't in any pain. "Huh…"

"Getting used to them?" Sam asked.

"I guess so." Scarlett scrunched her face and turned her focus back to the article. "Looks like it's all been hookers so far."

"You saw that in your vision?" Sam asked.

"No, in the article…" Scarlett continued reading.

"Well are you gonna leave us hanging?" Sam asked.

"Huh?"

"Your vision, Scar!" Dean rolled his eyes.

"Oh, right! Just some skeezy dude named Kurt: very aggressive and possessive with his girlfriend, Madison; rude to his neighbor, Glen."

"Think he's our werewolf?" Sam asked her.

"Well he didn't change or anything...but I had the vision reading the article so I'm guessing it's connected. BJ said that's how visions come to you sometimes."

Dean sighed at the mention of BJ.

"Anyway, looks like they're all in a neighborhood called Hunter's Point-"

 _Madison is walking down a city street at night. A dark figure is following her in the shadows. She quickens her pace, sensing the stranger behind her, and the stalker also speeds up. She breaks into a run but is struck from behind. She attempts to kick the attacker off of her and they bite her. She reaches for a keychain of pepper spray that fell from her purse upon impact and sprays the mugger. He lets out a growl and recoils from her. Madison quickly gets up and runs into her apartment building for safety._

"Woah." Scarlett returned to reality. "I hate when they come back-to-back like that; makes me woozy."

"What did you see?" Sam asked.

"The girl, Madison, escaped getting attacked outside her apartment building...but the mugger bit her.."

"So maybe she's the next victim?" Dean postulated.

"Maybe, but she escaped; pepper-sprayed the guy."

"Did you get a look at the werewolf?" Dean sounded almost giddy.

"Dean," Sam gasped, "could you be a bigger geek about this?"

"I'm sorry, man, but what about a human by day, a freak animal killing machine by moonlight don't you understand? I mean, werewolves are badass. We haven't seen one since we were kids."

"Okay, Sparky. And you know what? After we kill it, we can go to Disneyland." Sam teased.

"You know what the best part about it is? We already know how to bring these suckers down. Silver bullet: straight to the heart. So what's our plan?"

"Find Madison and hope the thing is tracking her." Sam said.

"Yeah, maybe...but my visions kind of felt like the recent past." Scarlett offered.

"You can tell that now?" Dean asked.

"I mean, I'm not positive...but I'm trying to trust my intuition." Scarlett admitted.

"You seem to really be connecting with your psychic abilities." Said Sam.

"I'm trying to at least; BJ was telling me last night that it's easier to let the vision take over than to try to decipher what's happening in the moment."

"BJ sure told you a lot last night." Dean grumbled.

"Yeah, she's really keen on helping me develop my powers."

"You mean your witchcraft." Dean said.

"Come on, don't start."

"Fine. I'll drop it...for now." Dean agreed.

"Forever would be better."

"Yeah, well, that ain't gonna happen sister."

"I guess I'll take what peace I can ge-"

 _Madison is in a crowded bar at a table with several other women. The women are all laughing over cocktails when Madison drops her glass on the table and spills her drink.  
_ _"Whoops." Madison attempts to clean up the mess with a cocktail napkin, but appears to have trouble with her dexterity.  
_ _"Madison, are you okay?" One of the girls asks.  
_ _"Yeah, just...uh...I'm gonna grab some fresh air. I'll be right back." Madison heads outside.  
_ _Madison's stomach churns and her vision starts to blur as a familiar figure starts to approach her.  
_ _"Hey, you don't look so great. Maybe you should take a cab with me." The man says as he starts to rub her shoulders.  
_ _Madison shrugs off his touch and steps away from him. "No, Nate I-" Her vision clears. "I think we should go back to the office like you suggested earlier."  
_ _"Really?" Nate looks surprised.  
_ _"Yes, in fact- I'll race you." Madison shoots him a wicked smirk.  
_ _"In a hurry for it, huh?" Nate winks.  
_ _"Oh yeah. So what do you say?" Madison walks seductively towards Nate. "On your mark…" She pets the tie on his chest. "Get set…"  
_ _"Go!" Nate yells before breaking out in a jog towards an office building down the block.  
_ _Madison's eyes turn ice-blue and her pupils narrow before she sprints after him._

"Three in a row, that's gotta be a record." Dean says.

"Yeah...I think it's Madison who's the werewolf." Scarlett's head felt light.

"Well, maybe it's both." Sam said.

"What do you mean?" Asked Dean

"I'm thinking maybe you saw Madison become infected by the mugger."

"Ugh." Scarlett groaned and she felt a migraine come on.

"What's wrong?" Dean checked on her through the rear-view mirror.

"Just...I thought I was getting these visions so I could help people. Why wouldn't I have gotten these visions before Madison was infected?"

"Who says you're getting them for any reason?" Dean said.

"Well, BJ-"

"BJ isn't all-knowing. And you're still going to help people: to be safe from possibly two werewolves running around San Francisco."

"I guess...this last one did feel like it hadn't happened yet."

"So maybe this is Madison's first full moon." Dean said.

"Dean!" Sam pulled out his dad's journal and rifled through the pages.

"What's up?"

"Dad's theory-" He found the page he was looking for, "'lycanthropy might have a cure if you kill the werewolf who bit you, severing the bloodline'." Sam read.

"So we're back to looking for the mugger. See, Scar: you may save this girl after all."

"I feel..." Scarlett started.

"Scarlett?" Sam turned to her, concerned.

"...my head." She passed out.

"Dammit!" Dean sped up.

"Dude! What are you doing?" Sam braced himself.

"Trying to find a place to pull off!"

Scarlett mumbled something incoherent.

"Relax! She's just having another vision."

Dean let out a long sigh. "I don't like this psychic shit, Sammy."

"I know." Sam looked out the window and tried not to take Dean's remark personally.

"Sorry, it's just...four in a row? And she's passed out? It can't be good."

"Why? She's not really unconscious."

"You don't know that."

Scarlett groaned in the backseat.

"See." Sam said. "Sounds of life."

"Sounds more like pain."

"Seriously?"

Scarlett started to breathe heavily.

"See? Labored breathing."

Scarlett let out a deep sigh and Sam looked back to see a smile form on her face.

"Dude… those aren't painful sounds…" Sam snickered.

"What?"

"Unhh." Scarlett let out a provocative moan.

"Oh...uh…" Dean looked back at Scarlett through the mirror and saw the same look of pleasure on her face.

Sam let out an uncomfortable laugh. " I'll try to wake her."

Sam jostled Scarlett but she continued to pant in an explicit manner.

"Nice." Dean smirked and mentally saved those sounds for later.

"Really, Dean? C'mon!" Sam gave his brother a dirty look.

"What? You gotta admit: it's pretty hot."

"Turn on the radio at least."

"No way, I'm not gonna miss-"

"Ohhhunh, SAM! uhnnn…" Scarlett gasped.

Sam's mouth dropped.

"Okay, maybe the radio is best." Dean quickly turned on the cassette player.

Scarlett continued her whimpering.

Sam's mouth turned to a smug grin at his brother's reaction.

"Shut up!" Dean shouted over the blasting Metallica.

"I didn't say anything!" Sam yelled back and laughed.

Dean looked again at Scarlett through his mirror and saw her face lose color and tears spill from her eyes.

"Sam!" He hit his brother and frantically motioned to Scarlett.

"I know!" Sam chuckled. "She's totally-" Sam looked back at Scarlett and saw her nose start to gush blood.

"AUGH!" Scarlett screamed and shot up in her seat.

"Here!" Sam quickly handed her some napkins out of a fast-food bag.

Scarlett caught a glimpse of Dean looking at her through his rearview with horrified concern before registering that there was something dripping down her chin. She took the napkins from Sam and blotted the bottom half of her face.

"Why is that so loud?!" Scarlett screamed over the raging music as she continued to clean herself up.

"Sorry, are you okay?" Dean turned off the radio.

"Yeah," she wiped off the rest of her blood, "that one was a little intense."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

Scarlett looked to Sam, immediately blushed as she remembered the last vision, and averted her gaze. "Madison is sweet, she isn't aware when she changes...You and her get…" she cleared her throat, " _intimate_ while Dean and I track down her sire."

"Really?" Sam smirked.

"Uh...yeah." Scarlett was beet red and completely avoided eye contact with Sam.

"Well, do we find him?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, it's her neighbor."

"Great, so I spar with a werewolf, you save a civilian, and Sam gets lucky with the damsel in distress… this hunt's lookin' pretty good." Dean teased.

"Well, not exactly…" Scarlett hung her head.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Even after Dean kills her sire… she still turns." Scarlett said gravely.

"So, we find another cure?" Sam hoped.

"So she asks you to be the one to kill her." Scarlett looked at Sam and tears welled in her eyes.

Silence filled the car and the trio's mood turned grim.

"Well, it'll be more efficient this way." Sam said coldly.

"Sam, I'm so sorry…" Scarlett whispered.

"Why? I don't even know her yet. I guess it's better this way."

"Part of the job." Dean agreed and looked sternly at the road ahead.

Dean turned up the radio and Scarlett knew the rest of the drive to San Francisco would not be a social one. Scarlett hated seeing them like this: it wasn't fair. She wondered if she should have let the future play out; even if Sam's happiness was fleeting, at least it would have happened. In a last ditch effort to change the outcome of her premonition, Scarlett sneakily texted BJ the details of their current situation in hopes that her knowledgeable friend might have some helpful insight and maybe even a miracle solution.


	17. Chapter 17

_So I've posted this same story on Archive of Our Own since it was brought to my attention that FanFiction doesn't technically allow sexually explicit material on here and my story may be removed at anytime. I'll continue to post on here as long as it allows me to...but if it ever gets flagged and taken down y'all can also find it over on AO3 under the same title and my username there is Elm_elm...just an FYI.  
As always:  
_xoxo _Thanks for reading!_

After checking into The Bay Bridge Inn right off I-80, the trio met in the boys' room to set up a plan of action.

"So where do we start?" Scarlett asked.

"Hunters Point where the other attacks happened seems to be a good place to start."

"No, we should find the bar Madison will be at. Keep her from cornering off that guy...Matt?" Dean directed.

"Mark." Scarlett corrected. "Alright. I didn't catch the name of the bar...they were under some kind of awning when she walked outside...but I'd recognize the inside."

Sam checked his watch. "It's just about 4; we've got a couple hours until happy hour starts."

"Let's go on a pub crawl." Dean smiled and started out the door.

.

.

.

"This is the last bar on this side of the water; please, God, let it be the right one." Dean groaned.

"It has an awning, that's a good sign." Sam pointed out.

"P3." Scarlett read the pink and blue neon heading.

"I'm getting a drink here whether it's the right place or not." Dean said.

"Fine by me." Scarlett sighed and gave the bouncer her ID.

"$20." The doorman said.

"Really? On a Monday?" Dean complained.

"There's a show here tonight. $20 if you want to get in."

Scarlett and Sam pulled out their cash.

"Still, seems a little steep." Dean continued.

"Look, buddy. It's gonna be $40 in an hour so just pay the cover or leave." The doorman said and stamped Scarlett and Sam's hands as they walked inside.

"C'mon, Dean; this is the place!" Scarlett called back.

"Alright, alright." Dean handed the doorman his cash and followed them in.

"Wow, this place is packed." Sam noted.

"Yeah; she was at a round table with her girlfriends, let's look around." Scarlett said.

"I'll be at the bar." Dean informed them before splitting.

"And then there were two." Sam shrugged.

"Hmm...that might actually be better; when we find her let's play 'have you met Ted?' A table full of girls will eat you up."

"What is 'have you met Ted'?"

"You haven't seen How I Met Your Mother?"

"What's that?"

"Oh my God, it's a TV show…"

Sam looked clueless.

"Oh, nevermind. Basically I'm just going to introduce you to them!"

"Why can't I introduce myself?"

"Just let me be your wingman, won't you?!" Scarlett laughed and pushed Sam ahead of her into the club crowd.

"Okay, what does she look like."

"Long dark hair, bangs, big brown eyes, European looking." Scarlett detailed. "Oh, I think that's her!" she pointed and B-lined for the girls' table.

"Scarlett, wait up!" Sam called after her, not able to squeeze through the small openings in the crowd that Scarlett could navigate.

"Oh!" Scarlet bumped into another petite woman. "Sorry!"

"No prob-oh!" The woman turned to Scarlett.

Scarlett gave her another apologetic look and then continued towards Madison's table.

Scarlett acted as if she was going to walk past the table but then stopped and turned to Madison, who was sipping her spritzer. "Oh, I just LOVE your blouse!" Scarlett complimented.

Madison looked down at herself and then back up at Scarlett with a smile. "Thank you! I actually just got it at that new boutique down the street...what's it called, Stacy?"

"Oh, you mean Covet?"

"Yes!"

"I just love that place!" Another girl chimed in.

"Wow, well it looks great on you; where's the shop at? I'm new to town." Scarlett asked Madison.

"Oh, it's off Arguello Boulevard; between Cornwall and Clement."

"It's a great place, they have a lot of cute vintage stuff and you can't beat the sales." Stacy assured Scarlett.

"Thanks; I'll definitely have to check it out! I'm Scarlett, by the way." She held out her hand.

"Madi, this is Stacy, Lisa, and Cheryl."

"Nice to meet y'all. Are you here to see the band?"

"Oh, no; after work drinks." Madi explained. "What about you?"

"Just checking out the local spots."

"Well P3 is definitely the best club in town." Lisa said.

"I hear the owner is looking to sell it!" Stacy said.

"No! What for?" Cheryl asked.

"She's going to open a restaurant or something." Stacy shrugged

"Oh yeah, I heard she was a chef before she opened this place." Madi recalled.

"Scar!" Sam's voice called in the distance.

"Oh, sweetie; I think your boyfriend is looking for you!" Lisa pointed towards Sam who was pushing toward the girls table.

"Wow. Lucky you!" Madi giggled.

Scarlett laughed. "He's not my boyfriend...and he's very single."

"Looking like that? How?" Madi gaped.

"Yeah, why _aren't_ you two dating?" Stacy agreed.

"What she really means is: what's wrong with him?" Lisa nudged her friend.

"Nothing! He's just my brother."

"Oh then I guess it's lucky Madi!" Cheryl teased.

"Lucky me? Why?"

"Cause you're the only one who's single!" Lisa laughed as Sam approached the table.

 _Oh, good._ Scarlett thought as she remembered how disturbing the boyfriend from her vision was.

"Hey, _bro_!" Scarlett pulled Sam's arm. "Meet some very nice gals I've just made friends with."

"Hi." Sam smiled uncomfortably.

"This is Sam."

The girls went around the table introducing themselves as a man walked up to the table.

Scarlett recognized him as Nate, the businessman from her vision, and lightly elbowed Sam.

"Hey Madi." Nate leaned in next to her. "I uh- hate to pull you away, but I'm going to need you to come back to the office with me."

She raised her brows at him. "Really?"

"Yeah, it turns out i got to file those docs by midnight." He pushed.

The girls at the table all exchanged knowing glances and rolled their eyes.

"I'm gonna need you to um…" He laughed. "This isn't working at all, is it?"

Madi shook her head and laughed. "No, it's not, Nate."

"Listen, I've had a couple; I really shouldn't drive." He tried another approach. "Could you just give me a lift?"

"I already called you a cab." Madi smiled politely. "I'll see you in the morning."

Nate forced a chuckle and walked away with an annoyed expression.

"Does that happen a lot?" Stacy asked.

"Only on days that end in 'y'." Madi joked and the girls all laughed.

"Who is he?" Scarlett asked.

"My boss." Madi explained.

"Wow, what a pig." Sam scoffed.

"Yeah he's…" Madi trailed off as she looked around the room.

Scarlett followed her eyeline to a man sitting in the corner; it was the old boyfriend from her vision: Kurt.

Madi's eyes glazed over and she dropped her drink on the table.

"Whoops." Madi fumbled around for for a cocktail napkin and tried to wipe up the spill.

"Madison, are you okay?" Lisa checked.

"Yeah, just...uh...I'm gonna grab some fresh air. I'll be right back." Madi got up a little shaky.

Scarlett linked arms with her. "Hey, why don't I go with you."

"Uh, sure. Thanks." Madi agreed and started for the front door.

Sam locked eyes with Scarlett and nodded his head towards the back door.

"Hey, why don't we go out back instead; I hear the bouncer's been double charging people to get back in.

"Oh...uh...yeah, ok." Scarlett and Madi leave the table.

"So, Sam what do you do?" Cheryl smiled at him.

"I'm a...bounty hunter."

"Really?!" Lisa squealed.

"Hey, Sammy!" Dean walked up and pat his brother on the back. "Introduce me to your lovely friends."

"And who are you?" Stacy asked with a tilt of her head.

"I'm Dean, Sam's my little brother."

"Man, your family has good genes." Lisa shook her head with a sultry look.

Dean gave her a crooked smile "Well I-"

"Maybe we should go check on Scarlett." Sam interrupted.

"Oh yeah, where is she?"

"She went out back with another girl; Madison." Sam hinted.

Dean cleared his throat. "Ladies, we'll be back." Dean nodded at the table full of women and followed Sam away from the table.

"So what's our move?" Dean asked as they headed for the back door.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure we shouldn't leave Scarlett alone in an alley with a werewolf about to shift.

"Good point. I'm packing, are you?"

"Silver dagger."

The boys walked outside to find Scarlett backing away from a hunched-over Madi.

"Madi? Are you still...you?" Scarlett asked.

Madison straightened up and threw her head back with a rabid growl.

"Madison, don't!" Sam yelled as Madi lunged at Scarlett.

The back door burst open.

Dean drew his gun and pulled the trigger without hesitation

Scarlett closed her eyes in anticipation of the soon-to-follow chaos…but instead there was silence.

"Who the hell are they?!" A female voice sounded through the devastating quiet.

Scarlett opened her eyes to see three brunette women standing in the alley.

"Oooh ooh ooh. Bullet! No!" One of the women ran towards a bullet suspended right in front of Madi's head and plucked it from the air.

Scarlett gasped as she took in the sight of Madi frozen in front of her: eyes like a wolf with fangs and claws inches from tearing at Scarlett's throat.

"You!" The woman exclaimed and Scarlett recognized her as the person she'd knocked into earlier.

"What the fuck?!" Scarlett said.

"I second that!" the second woman nodded and crossed her arms.

"Who are you?" The third woman demanded.  
"She looks a lot like-"

"Phoebe, zip it." The third woman directed. "Okay, start talkin' missy."

"I'm Scarlett, who are you?"

"We're The Charmed Ones." The third woman said as if Scarlett should know what she was talking about...and it did sound slightly familiar; but Scarlett couldn't focus.

"What is happening?" Scarlett asked.

"That's what we'd like to know too." The second woman insisted.

"Look at her, guys. She's freaking." The one called Phoebe pulled Scarlett out from in front of the frozen Madi-wolf. "I'm Phoebe, and these are my sisters: Paige," She pointed to the second woman, "and Piper." She pointed to the third woman. "We're good witches, like you are apparently since you didn't freeze."

"Yeah...how did you do that?!" Scarlett asked, incredulously, as she waved her hands in front of Dean and Sam: both remained completely still.

"That was me; why don't we skip the introductions and you tell us what's going on?"

"See, I got a premonition when you bumped into me earlier that your friends here were going to shoot this woman." Phoebe said.

"She's a werewolf."

"Not yet." Paige scoffed.

"What do you mean? Look at her!"

"Yeah, I'm looking."

"Sweetie, who are these men with you?"

"They're hunters: Sam and Dean Winchester."

"Hunters; first in LA with BJ and now here?" Phoebe said more to her sisters than to Scarlett.

Then it clicked, that's where Scarlett heard the term before. "Wait, you're BJ's mentors?"

"You know BJ?" Paige asked.

"Of course this is BJ's Scarlett! She looks just like her!" Phoebe said excitedly.

"Just like who?" Scarlett was confused.

"Oh, nevermind, sweetie. We're here to help." Phoebe assured her.

"How long are they stuck like this?" Scarlett asked, turning her attention back to the scene pending in front of them.

"Not for long," Piper admitted, "LEO!" She yelled.

A blue light filled the alleyway and a man appeared. "What's up?"

"What the hell?!" Scarlett shouted.

Piper continued over Scarlett's shock. "Honey, could you orb...that," she pointed towards Madi "back to the Manor inside the crystal circle up in the attic?"

"Sure, sweetie." The man kissed her on the cheek before walking over to Madi and grabbing her shoulder.

The white lights surrounded the two of them,a blue light glowed in the alley once more, and then they were both gone.

"Seriously, what the hell?!" Scarlett asked.

"Don't worry, that was my husband, Leo." Piper said nonchalantly.

"But really, what is going on?"

"What the fuck?!" Dean shouted as he regained life.

"Jeez you guys sure curse like sailors." Paige observed.

"Where did you come from?" Sam jumped backwards.

Dean pointed his gun at them. "Scarlett, get behind me!"

"Oh relax, we're not gonna hurt her!" Piper rolled her eyes.

"That's just rude." Paige held out her hand.

White lights surrounded Dean's gun and it disappeared.

"What the-"

The gun reappeared in Paige's hand. "You can have it back when you're less jumpy."

"Fuckin' witches!" Dean groaned.

"Watch your mouth, mister!" Piper chastised.

"Guys, I think these are BJ's friends." Scarlett said.

"You think?" Sam asked and both of the boys moved in between Scarlett and the sisters.

"Wow, protective aren't they?" Phoebe chuckled. "And yes, we are Billie's friends."

"Like I'm just gonna trust a bunch of witches!"

"Hey! We weren't the ones about to shoot an innocent girl!" Paige put her hands on her hips.

"She was a werewolf; there's no cure!" Sam defended his brother.

"That's right, she needed to be put down." Dean nodded. "Or would you rather us have let Scarlett turn into one too."

"First of all, there is a cure- just as long as she hasn't made her first kill yet." Piper informed them.

"What? Really?" Sam softened.

"Yes, really."

"Speaking of, where is the little monster?"

"She's back at our house." Phoebe said.

"How?"

"Magic, duh." Paige huffed. "Boy, you guys are really clueless."

"Watch it, sister." Dean grumbled.

"As lovely as this chat by the dumpsters is, why don't you three run along; we've got this."

"No way! What are you just gonna let her lose?" Dean questioned.

"Of course not! We're going to cure her."

"By killing her sire?" Sam asked.

"Among other things." Phoebe nodded.

"Well, I've had a vision of her sire. He's her neighbor."

"Oh, that's right! You're psychic." Phoebe smiled.

"Yes." Scarlett said sheepishly. "Actually, BJ told me I should contact you about controlling my powers."

"Oh, I know! She called me about it yesterday." Phoebe giggled.

"Really? That's too funny!"

"This is silly, you guys should come back to the manor with us and we'll work this out together!" Phoebe said.

"Definitely." Scarlett agreed.

"Wait a minute, I don't-" Dean started.

"Dean." Scarlett said in a tone that told him to back off.

"Fine. But I don't like it." Dean grumbled.

"Well what else is new." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Where do you live?" Sam asked.

"Here," Paige pulled a pen out of her purse,walked over to Sam, and took his hand. "1329 Prescott Street." Paige said as she wrote on his palm.

"I guess we'll see you soon." Piper said as she and Phoebe linked arms with Paige.

"Apparent-" Dean started but was interrupted by the vision of light surrounding the sisters, "...ly." He finished, dumbfounded at the sisters' disappearance.

"That was awesome!" Sam said.

"Totally!" Scarlett gaped.

"Fuckin witches." Dean shook his head.


	18. Chapter 18

Scarlett's cell phone rang as the three headed down the 101 in the Impala.

"Hello?" Scarlett answered.

" _Hey, it's BJ."_

"Hold on BJ, let me put you on speaker." Scarlett pressed the mic button and held her phone up so the boys could listen. "Hi! You'll never guess-"

" _I know, Paige just called."_

"See, we can trust them." Scarlett looked at Dean.

" _Yeah, I figured Dean may need some reassurance."_

Dean groaned.

"Hi Billie!" Sam called into the phone.

" _Hi Sam!"_ BJ giggled. " _So, you're coming to the manor, right?"_

"We are...are you there?"

" _Yeah, Paige just got me."_

"So cool." Scarlett was still impressed.

" _Okay, well hurry up! Paige's making a reversal potion and we need to find the sire to finish it."_

"Smh. Potion." Dean grumbled.

Scarlett glared at him through the rearview. "We'll be there shortly!"

" _See you soon!"_

"Bye, Billie." Sam said.

" _Bye!"_ Scarlett could hear BJ's smile through the phone.

About ten minutes later they arrived at a magenta two-and-a-half-story Victorian with a cement stair walk-up.

"Hey guys!" Called from the front doorway when they walked up.

"Hi!" Scarlett gave her a hug as they gathered on the porch.

"Come on in!" She ushered them inside.

"Wow, what a beautiful house!" Scarlett looked around at the craftsman-style woodwork and patchwork stained-glass picture windows.

"Oh, thank you." Phoebe met them in the foyer.

Dean smelled something delicious in the air and his stomach growled loudly. "Sorry." His eyes got wide.

Phoebe laughed. "Don't worry. Everyone has that reaction to Piper's cooking."

"Well I just thought since we got off on the wrong foot we might have a little dinner together and set things straight." Piper came out from the kitchen. "I find demon hunting goes better with a full stomach."

Dean's face lit up.

"I think he's warming to the idea." Sam chuckled.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Of course."

A timer dinged and Piper skipped back to the kitchen "Get the boys, would you?" She called through to the living room on her way.

"Boys, dinner!" Leo's voice called.

Blue light sparkled down from the ceiling and two little boys appeared in front of them.

"Oh my!" Scarlett was taken aback.

The two boys giggled and the little one ran around a table in the foyer, the bigger one chasing after him.

"Wow." Sam said.

"That's Chris and Wyatt: Piper and Leo's boys." Phoebe explained as a baby cried in the distance. "And that would be Prue: my little ladybug." She rushed upstairs.

"Okay, boys; dining room." BJ corralled them into the next room. "You guys too." She motioned for Scarlett, Dean, and Sam to follow.

A pink light flashed and two men appeared, each holding a baby.

"What are you guys running a magical daycare?" Dean asked.

BJ laughed. "This is Coop: Phoebe's husband, with Henry: Paige's husband, and Paige's daughters: Tamora and Kat."

"Hey, hi, where's Paige?" Henry sounded desperate.

"Making a potion!" Paige called from the kitchen.

"Thanks." Henry said to Coop as he took his other daughter from him. "Honey...I know you're busy with witchy-stuff but I gotta go into work; Jimmy Tressler's down at the station again." His voice disappeared from the room with him.

Scarlett smiled at Coop. "Hi, I'm-"

"Scarlett." Coop finished for her. "And Dean and Sam." He nodded to each of the boys.

"How did you-" Sam started.

"Coop's a Cupid." BJ explained.

"A what?" Dean did a double-take.

"A Cupid." BJ said nonchalantly.

Dean raised a brow at Coop. "Like that little flying baby with-"

Coop laughed. "I'm obviously not a baby, but yes: like that."

"You said 'a cupid'." Scarlett noted.

"Yes, there are hundreds of us." Coop expanded.

"And you make people fall in love?" Sam asked.

"We give a nudge to those who need it; all for the greater good, of course."

"What greater good?" Dean interrogated.

"The greatest good that God created: love." Coop smiled.

Scarlett felt a warm tingling sensation begin to build in her stomach.

Coop continued."Speaking of: Dean, Scarlett how are you fe-"

"No babies near potions!" Paige's call interrupted Coop.

"I'm sorry, babe. I really gotta go, though." Henry followed Paige into the dining room.

"Coop, could you please take Tamora?" Paige handed Coop a baby without waiting for a reply. "Give me Kat." And she took the other infant from her Husband.

"Thank you, thank you! You're Superwoman." Henry kissed Paige.

She smirked at him. "Don't you forget it."

"See you later! Nice meeting you!" Henry said as he rushed out.

"Someone want to help me with the food?" Piper came in with a dish full of spaghetti.

"Oh, yes!" Scarlett said.

"Follow me." BJ walked to the kitchen, Scarlett, Dean, and Sam in-tow.

They returned with salad, sauce, meatballs, and a pitcher of water.

"Oh hi, sweetie!" Phoebe walked into the dining room with her daughter in her arms.

"Hello, love." Coop walked over and kissed Phoebe and then his daughter on her head.

Leo helped Chris and Wyatt into booster seats; Paige, Phoebe, and Coop settled babies into their high-chairs; and Piper placed plates at each setting.

"Wow." Dean said, taking a seat.

"What?" Paige asked and sat down in between her twins.

"Just...you guys are so…"

"Normal." Sam also looked amazed.

"Hah!" Piper chortled. "We wish."

Leo smiled at his wife. "She means, we come as close as you can in this line of work."

"Well, you guys succeed." Scarlett agreed with the boys. "And thank you so much for cooking, by the way."

"Oh, you're welcome. I love to do it." Piper smiled.

"Yeah, it's great!" Dean said through a mouthful of meatball, already half-way through a plate of spaghetti.

"You'd think he was starving…" Sam rolled his eyes.

"So, Scarlett;" Phoebe started. "If you're up for it, I'd love to call your vision and see the man we're looking for. I might be able to scry for him if I have a clear view."

"Call my vision?"

"Yes, Phoebe can see your vision if you let her have your hand." Leo explained.

"I know BJ said your visions can be painful, so if you don't want to, we can try to help you scry for him."

"I'm sorry, what is 'scry'?" Sam asked.

"Witches can use a crystal and a map to find a someone or something." Said BJ.

Dean scoffed. "Seems like cheating." He said under his breath.

Sam elbowed his brother.

"I...I'd like to try, if I could." Scarlett said, avoiding Dean's gaze.

"Sure sweetie, it's very basic." Piper nodded.

After dinner Coop, Leo, and Paige took their respective children upstairs to put them down while Scarlett, Sam, and Dean followed BJ, Piper, and Phoebe up to the attic. The six were greeted by a vicious growl as they entered the room. Scarlett gasped at the sight of Madison in werewolf form in the center of the room. Madison lunged at the group but was stopped by some kind of electric force field surrounding her.

"What is that?" Sam asked.

"Crystal cage." Piper said.

Dean noted the five crystals on the floor surrounding Madison. "Pentagram."

"Very good." Phoebe smiled.

"How long will she be like this?" Scarlett asked with worry.

"She should calm down the closer it gets to dawn before she completely shifts back." Dean said.

"And so will her sire." Phoebe said.

"Right, we better get going before he kills another woman." BJ walked over to Madison's cage and knelt down to remove a crystal.

"What are you doing?" Sam pulled her back.

"It's fine." BJ looked up at him with a soft expression. "Piper will freeze her. We need some of her blood to find the sire." BJ removed the crystal.

Piper waved her hands and Madison froze. Phoebe took a dagger off a table behind her and pricked Madison's finger with it, holding it there for a moment. Piper flicked her hands again and Madison howled as blood dripped onto the dagger. BJ quickly replaced the crystal as Phoebe jumped back. Phoebe walked with the dagger over to a table in the corner that held a map of San Francisco and motioned for the others.

"So, shall we?" Piper walked over.

Scarlett sat down with them and Piper handed her a small wrapped amethyst hanging from a strand of leather.

"Dangle the crystal above the map and then Phoebe is going to take your hand." Piper instructed.

"I'll go through your vision with you and the crystal should move to where the sire is located."

Scarlett nodded and Phoebe took her hand. Instantly Scarlett felt Phoebe's consciousness meld with her own. It was an odd feeling, painful wasn't the right word...more uncomfortable: like wearing a dress that you didn't pick out and was also too tight.

 _Try to relax and let me move around._ It was Phoebe's instruction, but Scarlett hadn't heard it with her ears.

"Okay." Scarlett said aloud and let out a deep sigh.

Phoebe moved around in Scarlett's mind and called forward the vision of Dean killing a werewolf version of Madison's neighbor, Glen. Scarlett felt the crystal in her hand begin to swing and moved her hand with its pull. The crystal dropped down onto the map.

"Looks like he's in an alley between 1st and H Street down at the shipyard." Piper said.

"Ready when you are. " Paige walked in.

"No offense, ladies; but I think we can take it from here." Dean said.

"No offense, hunters; but I don't think you can." Paige retorted.

Dean lifted his shirt slightly to show the gun on his hip and Scarlett felt her stomach grow warm again.  
"This says we can." Dean challenged.

"Don't make me take that thing away from you again." Paige glared.

"Settle down, you two." Phoebe soothed.

"Dean, to cure Madison we need the sire alive." Piper explained.

"How are you going to cure her?" Sam asked.

"The potion Paige made, ingested with _live_ blood from the sire will reverse the transition as long as she hasn't made her first kill yet." BJ informed them.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Scarlett asked.

"Orb to him," Paige started.

"Freeze him," Piper continued.

"Get the blood," Phoebe held up the dagger.

"Orb back," Paige said.

"Blood goes in the potion," BJ said.

"Potion goes into Madison," Sam picked up the train of thought.

"Orb to him again," Paige said in a bored tone.  
"I'll unfreeze him and you can…" Piper sighed.

"Put him to sleep." Dean finished.

Paige nodded. "And then we orb home."

"And Madison will be okay?" Scarlett checked again.

"She will be." Phoebe assured her.

"Okay, join hands." Paige took her sisters' hands and they took Dean's.

"Wait, what about us?" Sam asked.

"I'll need your help here with Madison when I get back with the blood." Phoebe said.

"Help?" Scarlett asked.

"Billie will show you." Phoebe's voice disappeared with all of them in a glow of white lights.

"So, when Phoebe gets back with the blood we'll need to restrain Madison while she gets the potion into her mouth without biting her."

"How are we going to restrain a werewolf?" Sam asked incredulously.

Scarlett realized what they were to do. "Like we did with Donald in Florida: telekinetically."

"That's right, time to put your psychic powers where your mouth is." BJ quipped. "I'll be right back with the potion." She ran downstairs to the kitchen.

"This is a lot." Scarlett sighed.

"It's ok, we got this." Sam gave her a reassuring pat on the back. "Just like in Florida, right?"  
Scarlett looked up and gave him an unsure smile. "Right."

White lights filled the room again just when BJ returned.

"Okay, get ready." Phoebe said as Paige knelt down to the crystals.

BJ handed Phoebe the potion vial and grabbed Scarlett and Sam's hands and once again Scarlett felt a powerful connectivity flow through her as she watched Phoebe let the blood on her dagger trickle into the vial.

"Now!" BJ yelled at Paige to remove one of the crystals.

Madison snarled and attempted to jump forward, but Scarlett felt BJ's mind direct her own power to surround Madison; she knew Sam was feeling the same. Scarlett could sense every atom in the room with them as if she were standing in thick gelatin. A kinetic energy hummed through the three of them and pushed itself from inside their bodies to project outward and across the room, tightening around every inch of Madison and restricting her movement entirely. Phoebe poured the potion mixture into Madison's trembling jaw and Scarlett immediately felt the tension against their psychic restraints diminish until eventually there was just dead-weight opposing them. Madison's eyes returned from icey blue and narrowed-animalistic pupil back to her warm honey-brown spheres, her teeth transformed from rows of sharp fangs to the human variation, and her claws receded to normal nails. BJ released Sam and Scarlett's hands to them and the psychic connection was broken.

"Where am I?" Madison gasped in a moment of consciousness before she fainted.

"Woah!" Sam caught her reflexively.

"Okay, be right back." Paige said and orbed out of the attic.

"Well, aren't you able-bodied." BJ fawned over Sam.

"Here, why don't you bring her down to the living room to lay down on the couch." Phoebe led Sam out of the room and BJ followed downstairs.

Scarlett waited nervously for Paige to return with Dean and Piper. In two minutes that felt more like two hours: Paige, Piper, and Dean reappeared in a cloud of lights looking and Piper left the attic without saying anything or making eye-contact with Scarlett. Dean stood motionless in the spot where Paige orbed them in. Scarlett tried to read the expression on Dean's face but couldn't place it. His green eyes were wrenching and vacant at the same time; and he wasn't really looking at her so much as through her.

"What happened?" Scarlett walked over to him.

Dean remained silent.

"Dean?" Scarlett instinctively took his hand and searched his face for life.

Scarlett's comforting gesture pulled Dean out of his head and he looked down at his hand in hers.

"He didn't know what he was doing." Dean's voice was soft and there was an agony to it that Scarlett had never heard before.

Scarlett's heart sank at the implication. "Did you…?" Scarlett couldn't finish the question that she already knew the answer to; Dean would always do his duty.

"He's dead." Dean's voice hardened and he moved to walk out of the attic.

Scarlett, still holding his hand, gripped tightly and stopped him from walking out. Dean looked back at her and she could still see the anguish in his eyes.

"He would have killed more people." Scarlett asserted. "You had to do it."

"I know." Dean thawed just a little. "Let's go down with the others."

"Okay." Scarlett sighed, let go of his hand, and followed him downstairs.

"Dean!" Scarlett and Dean followed Paige's holler from the conservatory.

"What's up, guys?" Scarlett asked as they entered the windowed room where all the adults were lounging.

"Apparently we're drinking!" Piper passed Scarlett and Dean a shot.

"Hear hear, we deserve it!" Paige raised her shot with Dean and Piper before they all downed them.

"Well, except for the angels." BJ teased and poured the three another round of Jack.

"Angels?" Sam looked at her and accepted a shot.

"Coop and Leo."

"You're angels?" Scarlett asked the husbands.

"Former." Leo corrected.

"And very low-level." Coop reasoned.

Dean took his second shot. "Angels, huh? I never really went in for that."

"Look," Paige started as she poured herself, Dean, and Piper another, "I know-we know, there's a lot of bad, nasty, evil shit out there…" the three of them took their shots, "tonight included. But that's why I know there is so much Good in the world too. You gotta realize that, man." Paige lined up another round.

"I cannot do another shot...but I can make a pitcher of margaritas." Piper turned down the shot glass.

"I'll take it." BJ volunteered and Piper passed her shot to Sam to give to BJ.

"I'll help with the margs." Scarlett followed Piper to the kitchen.

"How does that make sense?" Dean got back to Paige's point.

"The universe is all about balance, sweetie." Phoebe said.

"Yes," Coop agreed with his wife, "for every ounce of darkness there is also the propensity for light. One cannot exist without the other."

"If that's true, how come I've met about a thousand demons and you're the first 'angel' I've ever met?" Dean scoffed.

Coup chuckled. "How do you know I'm the first angel you've met?"

"See, Dean. I told you angels existed." Sam took another shot with BJ.

"Well then tell me this; if God really wants good in the world, where is he when Sammy and I are chasing down demons and monsters that are killing innocent people?"

"It's easy for humans to recognize evil, it stands out more; but can't you see that you and your brother are powerful forces of good in the world? Have you ever stopped to consider that you are the good that God has sent to balance out that evil?" Leo offered.

"I don't recall getting any message from God." Dean rolled his eyes.  
Leo smiled at him. "You are made in His image, the message is inside you already."

"My husband: ever-faithful." Piper and Scarlett returned with a giant pitcher of Margaritas and a tray full of glasses for everyone.

"If by that you're talking destiny, then I also don't buy into that." Dean informed Leo.

"Buy into it or not, trust us boys, if it's your destiny you can't escape it." Piper sipped her drink.

"Hmm. I wouldn't have it any other way, though." Phoebe mused.

"Yeah, even for all the day's we've spent in Hell-" Paige began.

"Sometimes literally!" Piper chimed.

Paige chortled. "The good we do makes it worth it."

"Blessed be!" Phoebe raised her margarita to her sisters.

"Blessed be." They all clinked glasses.

Cries came from the the monitors on the table and Paige sighed and stood up a little wobbly.

"We got the kids, honey." Phoebe said and squeezed Paige's shoulder.

Leo and Coop followed Phoebe upstairs.

"See, angels." Paige threw her hands up.

Scarlett laughed.

"I will go check on Madison, though. She should be waking up soon." Paige got up.

"And I will make another pitcher of margs!" Piper got up and took the empty pitcher to the kitchen.

With the room now empty, Scarlett noticed BJ sitting on Sam's lap as the two engaged in some public necking. "Oh, wow."

"Dude!" Dean threw a couch pillow at his brother.

BJ came up for air and Sam blushed at Scarlett and Dean.

"Do you guys mind?" BJ joked.

"Maybe let's check out the porch." Scarlett laughed.

"Yeah, I could use some air." Dean followed her outside.

"C'mon; Sam...let me show you my guest-room." Scarlett heard BJ say as she shut the back door.

Dean sat down on the back deck steps overlooking the garden with a deep sigh.

"Looks like Sam was destined to get lucky tonight regardless of the girl." Scarlett joked and took a seat next to Dean.

"Destined." Dean scoffed and took a swig from the bottle of Jack he brought outside with them.

"Hey." Scarlett took the bottle from him.

Dean slowly blinked and turned his head to Scarlett.

"What's happening in that thick head of yours?" She asked him.

"You don't want to know."

"Yes, I do." She insisted.

"No you don't." Dean took the bottle back from her for another sip.

"Stop it." She forced the neck from his mouth. "Talk to me. You don't have to do it all alone all the time." She placed the bottle behind her and linked her arm through his as she stared him down. "You're not my older brother and you're not my dad. You don't need to put on a brave face for me."

Dean looked at Scarlett desperately trying to convey her sincerity to him. Maybe it was the liquor or maybe it was her gentle hazel eyes, but he felt a warm glow inside his stomach that made him want to empty himself into her.

"Was all of this destiny?" He asked her.

"All of what?"

"This life. The Winchester Family saga. Our mother and father, Sammy's girlfriend...did they all die for destiny? What about the man tonight? Was it God's plan that he become a werewolf; that I would have to kill a man who doesn't even know or have control over why?"

"I don't know." Scarlett answered truthfully.

"That's not good enough. If it's random I can deal with that. Just random and horrible… but if it's a part of some big-picture crap I want out."

"Dean…" Scarlett said in a sympathetic tone.

"No, I'm serious. What are we living this life for, Sammy and I? Dad's gone, Mom's gone...no idea where the yellow eyed demon is or what he wants with Sammy. I'm tired of losing people, Scar. I can't do it anymore. Not after seeing them in there." Dean hung his head.

"What do they have to do with anything?"

"They've got it. The normal life."

"What's normal? They're all witches and angels."

"Their own business, the house...the family." Dean quickly shot Scarlett a sideways glance.

Scarlett noticed. "I didn't realize you wanted that stuff."

"Yeah. I do." Dean looked at her and held her gaze for a quiet moment that was interrupted by the sound of Dean's cell ringing.

Dean sighed and checked his phone.

"Hello?"

Scarlett couldn't make out the muffled voice on the other end.

"Yes sir, that does sound serious."

Dean paused again.

"Of course we'll come. Dad woulda...anyway we owe ya."

Scarlett sighed, saved by the bell: another case.

" Thank You, sir. That means a lot. See you soon." Dean hung up.

"Who was that?" Scarlett asked.

"My dad's old military buddy. We got a job."


	19. Chapter 19

"Anyway, what were we talking about?" Dean tried to find his train of thought.

"Family." Scarlett said.

"Right…." Dean trailed off as a window opened above them.

"There, breeze." They heard Billie's voice from the second floor window followed by Sam's chuckle.

"And I want it for Sammy, too. He was pre-law at Stanford before the yellow eyed demon killed his girlfriend, you know? Even if I don't...he deserves a normal life. Happiness." Dean looked at his boots.

"You do." Scarlett said, squeezing his hand to call his attention. "You deserve to be happy." She assured him.

"Oh, Sam!" Billie's cry interrupted them again.

Dean watched as Scarlett blushed, no doubt recalling whatever she saw in that vision she had in the car earlier; that thought made his chest tighten and the warm glow in Dean's stomach was replaced with a blazing fire. She shouldn't be thinking of Sam in _that_ way.

Dean moved his left arm, that Scarlett had hooked with her own earlier, through and around to her back: which forced her right arm up around his shoulder; she didn't miss a step and latched onto his neck. He pulled her head to him with his right hand and leaned in to kiss her. He rubbed his palm up her spine as she arched her back and pressed her chest into his. She bit at his bottom lip and his cock jumped causing him to deepen their kiss. She exhaled and he inhaled; her sweet breath intoxicated him even more. He tugged at her hair and left her mouth trailing light kisses from her chin, across her jawline. He stopped to tongue her ear and sucked at her soft lobe before letting out a huff of air. He felt her body tremble against him and he pulled back to admire Scarlett. Her arms were stretched out behind her, braced against the deck to hold her up. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was parted. Her chest heaved with each ragged breath and the outline of her hardened nipples poked out her shirt.

The muffled sounds of Sam and Billie talking and laughing came from above them and Dean worried that this interruption would spook Scarlett. But her long lashes parted slowly to reveal her hazel eyes turned a deep amber and she stared up at him lustfully. Dean smiled at the sight of her so aroused and leaned back in to kiss her neck. Her left hand massaged through his hair and she lightly grazed his scalp with her nails: sending goosebumps down his back and a pleasurable sensation through his shaft. Dean moved his right hand from the back of her head down her left arm as he kissed her shoulder, and moved to her waist then down to her thigh as he moved his lips back up to her neck. Dean squeezed her thigh, his thumb pressed just below her hip bone and his fingers pressed into the side of her left butt cheek, and Scarlett began to let out a moan.

Dean quickly covered her mouth with his and swallowed her moan in time for them to hear another bout of laughter come from Billie's room. He pulled away from kissing her, put one finger to his lips and silently mouthed like he were saying "Shh." Scarlett looked at him hungrily and tightly gripped a handful of his hair. The slight bit of pain and fervent signal from Scarlett filled out his erection and Scarlett pulled herself up into him for a violent kiss. Dean dragged his hand up and down her thigh, lifting her back and pushing her into him again, until he felt her widen her legs apart. Dean couldn't believe it, but wasted no opportunity. He ran his hand up her inner thigh under her skirt and lightly tugged at the lining of her panties. She whimpered into his mouth and he smiled against her lips. He gently grazed her the cotton lining with the back of his pointer and middle fingers from her clit to her hole: noting how damp the cloth was. Scarlett sat up slightly, removed her right arm from propping herself up, and snaked it over to Dean's belt buckle. He felt her graze the jeans at his erection, making him harder, and retrieved his left arm from behind her. He quickly grabbed her wandering hand and pinned her wrist behind her back.

"No." He looked down into her sultry eyes questioning him.

He pulled her underwear to the side and thumbed circles around around her swelling clit. "Focus." He directed.

Dean watched Scarlett's eyes roll back and close again as her breath quickened with every circle he traced. Scarlett gasped and threw her head backwards in obvious ecstasy, causing his erection to twitch. He kissed her chin, down her neck, to her cleavage and then back up. She turned her head to the right and she used a fist full his hair to pull him to the left so he kissed and sucked at her ear again. Scarlett began to gyrate her pelvis in time with his thumb movements, her clit now a prominent bead. Dean softly outlined Scarlett's slippery hole with his middle finger.

"You are so fucking wet." He whispered into her ear and plunged his pointer and middle finger deep inside her, still massaging her throbbing clit. Scarlett's hand shot up to cover her mouth and she squealed into her own palm. Her body went limp in his embrace and she no longer was sitting up herself. Dean sat up and wrapped his left arm across her back and hugged around her left shoulder, pulling her to lean rightways into him. Her head fell into his left shoulder and he rested his own head to the left on top of hers.

If anyone were to walk behind them in the house they would look out the glass does to see the pair sweetly sitting on the porch together looking out into the garden with his arm around her, but from the front view they would see him deeply fingering Scarlett as she bit her own hand to keep from screaming in pleasure.

"From now on," Dean whispered over her head, "when you're blushing at the thought of a Winchester," he enthusiastically stroked inside her warm walls, "you better be thinking of me."

He felt a small wave of juice flow from her at this assertion. He slid his fingers from inside her and spread her wetness up through the crevasse between her soft lips and up to where his thumb was still stimulating her clit. He pressed into her sensitive button and she wriggled slightly, hinting with her body for his fingers to return to her cave.

Dean made a triangle formation with his pointer, middle, and ring finger and pushed them deep into her tight hole. Her pussy was drenched and he quickly thrust his his fingers in and out of her as she bucked into his hand.

"Shit, I gotta find Dean!" Dean heard his brother's voice carry from upstairs and he knew it would only be moments before he found them.

But Scarlett was writhing in the palm of Dean's hand and her pussy was dripping with sex, he knew she was close to orgasm and he wanted to make her climax so badly.

"Come on, Scar." He whispered down to her and felt her walls contract around his fingers. "That's it, just give into it."

Scarlett abruptly stopped her hip movement and Dean continued to rapidly finger her until a gush of juices poured out of her as she trembled against him.

Dean wiped her wetness off his fingers on the inside of his jeans as he tucked his erection into his waistband.

"Hey, Dean." Sam's voice came from the doorway behind them. "I missed a call from Deacon."

Scarlett sat up on her own and smoothed her skirt down as Dean let go of her shoulder.

"Yeah, I picked it up." Dean said and stood up. "He's got a job for us."

"Oh yeah? What's up?"

"Let's talk inside." Dean said and lead his brother back indoors. "I think Scarlett wants a minute alone to clear her head."

"Okay, so what kind of job does Deacon have for us?" Sam asked inside.

"There may be a haunting at the detention center he wardens."

"Dean, a prison? We can't exactly break in and snoop around."

"I know…" Dean sighed.

"What? You got a plan?"

"You're not gonna like it."

"What's he not gonna like?" Billie came down the stairs.

"BJ, I need a favor." Dean scratched the back of his head.

"Well damn, what was that call you missed Sam?" Billie asked. "Must've been something big for Dean to come down off that high horse of his to ask for my help."

"Alright, alright, that's enough. It's not for me, it's for Scarlett."

"What about me?" Scarlett walked in from outside.

"The call I got about a job..." Dean couldn't meet her eyes.

"From your dad's friend? What about it?" Scarlett pressed.

"You can't come on this one."

"What?" Scarlett's jaw dropped.

"Dude, you can't be thinking what I think you're thinking." Sam said.

"It's the only way."

"Dean, come on." Sam reasoned.

"What's going on?" Scarlett asked.

"Sammy, we owe him. You know we do."

"I know but… that's a little extreme."

"And what he did wasn't?"

"Seriously, what are you guys talking about?" Billie asked.

"I know, you're right. Okay." Sam nodded.

"Good, okay."

"One of you better explain what the hell is happening!" Scarlett snapped.

"It's better you don't know details." Dean said.

"Fuck that." Scarlett scoffed.

"No, he's right. You really can't be a part of this. Any of you...legally. Trust me." Sam backed him up.

"Well, what's the favor?" Billie turned to Dean.

"You said at brunch that you thought you were meant to meet Scarlett, to help her; remember, you said if she needed anything?"

"Yeah…?"

"Well I saw what all of you guys can do...maybe you could keep teaching her how to use her powers." Dean said.

"Of course!" Billie agreed.

"And maybe she could stay with you and do that while we take care of this job in Arkansas."

"You are un-fucking-believable, you know that?" Scarlett sneered.

Dean gave her an apologetic look. "Scarlett-"

"No, uh-uh." Scarlett wagged her finger. "You want to be on your own, be on your own. But don't you dare try to pawn me off like I'm some latchkey kid you're looking out for."

"Scarlett, believe me; you don't want to get mixed up in this." Dean pleaded.

Billie looked to Sam who nodded to signal that Dean was being genuine.

"Scarlett, of course you're welcome to stay with me." Billie walked over to her.

"How long is this 'job' going to take?" Scarlett glared at Dean.

"I...I don't know."

"You don't know." Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"You could go to magic school." Paige announced from in front of the front door. "Sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but you guys were so wrapped up in this when I was orbing in."

"I didn't even know you left. Where were you?" Bille asked.

"Madison woke up so I took her home."

"Right. Anyway, Magic School is a great idea;" Billie looked to Scarlett, "you can learn everything there: spells, potions, martial arts."

"And you can stay as long as you like." Paige added.

"So it's settled, then." Dean said hopefully.

Scarlett huffed and walked out of the hallway. Dean went to follow her but Billie held up her hand for him to stay.

"I got it. Paige?" Billie and Paige followed Scarlett into the kitchen.

"I cannot believe him!" Angry tears rolled down Scarlett's cheeks.

"I know, it's short notice; but it sounds like they're trying to protect you." Billie tried to comfort her.

Scarlett paced the room. "No, this is so- ugh! Just when I thought- but nevermind! Leave for Arkansas, see if I care!"

"I knew you two were a thing." Paige said under her breath.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing; look, if you want to crash here tonight we have more than enough space." Paige offered.

Scarlett looked to Billie.

"I'm staying too; it'll be like a sleepover." Billie smiled.

"Yeah, okay; if you really wouldn't mind."

"Of course! Girl, believe me; I know how hard men can be. I'll go make up a couch." Paige threw her hands up and left the room.

"Now, you must stop pacing!" Billie grabbed Scarlett by her shoulders.

"You know he was so against me practicing magic...and now he can't wait to get rid of me so badly that he's jumping at the idea of magic school."

"Sweetie, that's definitely not it."

"Then why won't he say when he's coming back?"

Billie sighed. "I don't know."

"Hey…" Dean poked his head into the kitchen.

Scarlett's eyes started to well again at the sight of him.

"Paige mentioned you're staying here tonight."

Scarlett was silent as she spent all of her energy trying to keep from crying in front of him.

"Uh, yeah. We're having a sleepover." Billie responded for her.

"Okay, well I'll bring your stuff by from the motel in the morning; we're leaving tomorrow."

Scarlett remained quiet and the tears quivered at the rim of her lids, threatening to spill over.

Dean wore a pained expression. "Scarlett I didn't mean to-"

"I don't care. Just go." Scarlett said coldly and turned her back to him.

Dean's heart sank into his stomach and he left the room.

"Is he gone?" Scarlett whispered.

"Yes." Billie said.

Scarlett grabbed the kitchen sink, leaned over, and burst into sobs.


	20. Chapter 20

"Thought we were screwed before…" Sam brooded as he and Dean packed up the Impala.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Dean sighed as he looked around the graveyard. "We gotta go deep this time."

"Deep, Dean?" Sam hung his head and scoffed, "We should go to Yemen."

"Ooh, I'm-I'm not sure I'm ready to go that deep." he smirked.

"Yeah I guess there's no Scarlett in Yemen." Sam teased as the brothers got in their get-away ride.

"What are we going to do about Scarlett, man?"

"Nothing, I mean...at least not for now."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's safe at Magic School with the sisters and Billie and we're fugitives on the run from the F.B.I."

"C'mon man, she knows we didn't do that stuff...or at least not how they think it went down."

"I know, I just mean, let's lose a little heat before we bring her back into this. I don't want her to get caught up in the F.B.I.'s investigation."

"Sure, that makes sense." Sam agreed. "So where to next, then?"

"Let's head east, for Chicago."

"Opposite direction of Scarlett."

"Exactly."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _"Two brothers connected with a crime spree that spans across the country; with a rap sheet that includes grave desecration, armed bank robbery, kidnapping, and murder; have escaped from Green River County Detention Center near Little Rock, Arkansas today -"_ Piper took the newspaper away from Scarlett as she read the familiar headline for the umpteenth time.

"C'mon sweetie, I'm sure they're ok." Paige put her hand on Scarlett's shoulder.

"Two months ago, this headline was two months ago." Scarlett shook her head.

"I thought we discussed this, they probably just want to keep you out of the crosshairs." Phoebe sat down next to Scarlett.

"I know, I know...and that was fine, but I woke up this morning with weird feeling…"

"Why, did you have a premonition?" Billie interjected.

"No...but I had a weird dream about dean last night."

"What happened?"

"He was...mowing a lawn."

"Mowing a lawn?" Piper said.

"Yeah...but the house, it looked familiar somehow."

"He was mowing a familiar house's lawn…" Billie continued.

"Sweetie that sounds like it might be a normal dream." Paige smiled at Scarlett and shot her sisters a worried look.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Anyway...I gotta get off to Self Defense back at Magic School…"

"Oooh, yes! Me too!" Billie said. "I'm filling in, I thought we might do some rattan sticks!"

"Sounds…painful." Scarlett laughed uncomfortably and the two orbed off with Paige to Magic School.

 _Scarlett sat at a white-clothed dinner table with Dean, Sam, a blonde woman she didn't recognize and what looked like Dean's mother, just a bit older._  
 _Dean drank a beer and everyone toasted to the mother's birthday._

"Scarlett...Scarlett...earth to Scarlett!" Billie snapped her fingers in front of Scarlett's face.

"Dean…"

"A premonition?" Paige asked.

"What was it?"

"I-I-I don't know...it was weird I was with Sam and Dean and their mom for her birthday...but she's, I mean I know that she's dead."

"That's a really weird daydream, Scar." Billie said.

"It's not a daydream. C'mon Phoebe and I have been working on my psychic abilities and I know when I'm having a vision. It's Dean...It's now...somehow. I don't know."

"But you're here, not there." Paige offered.

"I know, but...the house! The house in my dream last night it was their childhood home, I've seen it in my visions before."

"Honey this really doesn't sound-" Paige started.

"I know but it's how I feel...like I'm...he's fuzzy. I don't know, it's not normal. Please, we have to skry for them. I need to find him."

"Okay, ok. Let's get to my office." Paige agreed and they all rushed down the hall.

Her time with the four witches and their family had been truly life-changing and she was sad to leave them. But if she was being honest, she spent the last few months feeling disconnected in a way she knew only reuniting with the Winchesters would solve. She missed the brothers and worried about their safety all the time. At the beginning she would get flashes of them in trouble on dangerous jobs and anxiety would plague her until she heard back from Bobby that they were okay. The boys had ditched their phones after breaking out of prison and refused to contact Scarlett directly. During the first month of their separation, Scarlett spent every day immersed in her magical education and every night wallowing in her visions of them fighting unspeakable horrors when she was alone. When Billie started to notice Scarlett getting burnt out she insisted that she blow off steam with her by spending her evenings helping fight demons locally instead of just in her head. Slowly Scarlett's visions of the boys subsided and she checked in with Bobby less and less, trusting that when they needed her that they would reach out and she would now be more prepared. So, when she had a vision of Dean for the first time in 8 weeks she knew that something was up...even if it wasn't exactly clear what that something was.

 _Dean is standing in an abandoned warehouse with the people from dinner surrounding him._  
 _"Put the Knife down honey." Mrs. Winchester pleaded with her son._  
 _"You're not real...none of it is." Dean said, fighting back tears._  
 _"It doesn't matter, it's still better than anything you had." His mom insisted._  
 _"What?" Dean's eyes welled._  
 _"It's everything you want, we're a family again. Let's go home."_  
 _"I'll die, the Jinn, it'll drain the life out of me in a couple of days." Dean said, his voice shaking._  
 _"But in here, it'll feel like years...a lifetime. No more pain, no more fear...just love, and comfort, and safety. Dean...stay with us, get some rest." His mom gave him an assuring smile and stroked his cheek._  
 _"You don't have to worry about Sam anymore." the unfamiliar blonde stepped out of the shadows to chime in._  
 _Scarlett slowly walked up to Dean, gently grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him tenderly. "We can have a future together, have our own family. I love you, Dean. Please."_  
 _"Why is it our job to save everyone, haven't we done enough?" Sam looked earnestly to his big brother. "Please, I'm begging you. Give me the knife."_  
 _Dean looked at his brother with a broken heart and ten to the rest of his family._  
 _"I'm sorry." He plunged the blade into his own stomach._  
 _"Dean!" Sam shouted._

"DEAN!" Scarlett shrieked as she came out of her vision crying.

"Scarlett, it's ok, you're here. You're okay." Billie was holding Scarlett vertical.

"We need to find him!" Scarlett wiped away the tears from her cheek.

"I got him!" Paige said from standing over her desk map. "Joliet, Illinois?"

"What's happening, is he ok? What about Sam?" Billie asked.

"I'm not sure...he's not, it's like he's in an alternate reality."

"Ugh, hate those." Paige sighed with empathy.

Scarlett pulled out her cell and dialed.

 _"Now you know I can't-"_

"Save it, I know you're in contact. They always call you after a job."

 _"I swear I-"_

"I know about the Jinn."

 _"They're okay."_

"I saw him…"

 _"He's okay. They're at a motel and headed my way in after they get some rest this week."_

"Thanks Bobby." Scarlett hung up the phone.

"A Jinn?" Billie asked.

"Super evil genies." Paige clarified. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"Yes." Scarlett said with resolve.

"Well, I guess we better get your stuff packed." Paige looked disappointed.

"Rattan martial arts before you go?" Billie asked through a pout.

"Couldn't hurt." Scarlett softened and followed Billie down the familiar school's halls one last time.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well that was quick." Bobby answered the door for Scarlett and handed her a beer.

She took a swig. "Holy water?"

"Can't be too careful."

"Did you tell them I'd be here?"

"No, I don't think they'd come if I did."

"Right." Scarlett hung her head.

"It's only fer your protection, darlin'; you know that, right?"

"Well I spent the last 3 months immersed in super badass witch training so I'm feeling like I'd really like it if they stopped acting like I can't protect myself."

Scarlett huffed.

"What about when yer family sees yer face on national television in connection with wanted murderers...did your badass classes prepare you fer that?" Bobby snapped. "Those boys aren't used to having connections, they are just trying to protect the ones you have for ya. It's a privilege to have livin' roots in this line of work, girlie."

Scarlett calmed down. "I guess I never thought about them finding out."

"Yeah, I know."

Bobby's phone rang and he took it out of his pocket. "It's Dean."

Scarlett nodded.

"Bobby."

 _"Sam's gone!"_

"What?"

 _"He's gone, Bobby! They took him!"_

"Who?"

 _"A demon, THE demon...I don't know but we gotta find him."_

"Where are ya?"

 _"Meet me at the roadhouse, Ash's got info maybe."_

"On my way." Bobby hung up the phone. "No time to unpack, time to go."

"What's wrong?"

"Sam's missing." Bobby said gravely.

Bobby drove up a road Scarlett recognized from an old vision, she knew it lead to Harvell's Roadhouses but when they pulled in there was only burnt ruins and Dean's Impala. Scarlett began to panic until she saw him get out of the car. He put his hands on his shaking head and kicked up gravel.

"NO!" Dean yelled at the debris as Bobby got out of the car.

Scarlett had been so caught up in his Sam's wellbeing she hadn't thought about what she would say to him. So much had happened in the past 3 months...she didn't know where to start. Frozen in the car, Scarlett watched Bobby walk over to Dean and try to calm him down. He was in obvious pain over Sam's disappearance.

"Ash had a lead for me this is my fault, Bobby...Sammy he's-"

"He's out there and we'll find him, this ain't your fault boy."

"But Bobby-AUGH!" Dean fell to his knees.

"DEAN!" Scarlett jumped out of the car and rushed to his side.

"Scarlett? AUGH!" Dean clutched his head.

"Dean, what's goin on?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know, a headache?"

"Do you always get headaches like that?"

"No I-AAAUGH!" Dean fell into Scarlett.

 _An antique bell, an abandoned saloon town, and Sam's face._

"He had a vision." Scarlett said holding Dean with her eyes closed.

"Ugh, that's about as pleasant as a kick in the balls." Dean groaned.

"Cold Oak, South Dakota." Scarlett says.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"Someone was calling out to him...another psychic, I felt him in Dean's head. They're in Cold Oak, South Dakota." Scarlett explained.

"Well your powers sure have progressed." Dean said, shocked.

"Yeah, well you miss a lot in 3 months." Scarlett helped him up.

"Look, about that-"

"Let's just focus on Sam."

"Yeah, good idea." Dean nodded.

"Alright, I'll drive. I know where Cold Oak is. It's a literal ghost town." Bobby lead them to the car.

"You're sure this is it?" Dean asked Scarlett, looking around the abandoned town.

"I don't know, I guess." Scarlett didn't see much in the night.

"Well this is Cold Oak. Let's walk down into the main street." Bobby suggested

"Following you." Dean motioned for Bobby to lead.

The trio rounded the corner on an old wooden building falling into disrepair.

"Sam!" Dean screamed and ran to his brother who was emerging from the darkness.

"Dean?" Sam tried to focus on the people ahead of him.

"SAM!" They all screamed as a man in a military uniform came up behind Sam weilding a knife.

"De-"

The man stabbed Sam deep in the back and ran off into the woods, knife in hand.

"SAMMY!" Dean rushed to Sam as he collapsed.

Scarlett rushed over to the brothers. "Put pressure on the wound!" Scarlett ripped Dean's belt off him and tried to tourniquet Sam's torso.

Tear's fell from Dean's face as he pressed against his little brother's hemorrhaging back.

"Let's get him to the car." Bobby said and the three of them brought him to the back seat.

Dean held Sam in his lap as Scarlett climbed on top of Sam and did CPR in the back while Bobby drove off towards safety.

"Three minutes…" Scarlett stopped the CPR and checked for Sam's pulse a final time.

"What are you doing?" Dean yelled at Scarlett.

"I'm sorry, Dean…" Scarlett trailed off as tears ran down her face.

"Sorry what?!" Dean shouted, his own eyes red and watering.

"After 3 minutes of resuscitation...he's…"

"No, No, NO! We'll fix him! I'm gonna fix him!" Dean sobbed and pulled Sam's lifeless body to his chest.


	21. Chapter 21

Bobby pulled into the driveway of a nearby abandoned house to cry for the loss of one of his pseudo-sons...and for the heartbreak of the other; unable to see through his tears enough to drive.

Dean grabbed Sam's body by the torso and pulled him out of the car and over his shoulder.

"Dean, where are you going?" Scarlett ran out of the car after him.

"I don't know, dammit! But I'm not gonna sit in the car crying and doing nothing!" Dean stormed into the abandoned house.

"Dean, what is it that you think you are supposed to be doing?" Scarlett followed him as she wiped away tears.

"I already told you, I don't know! But I'm gonna figure it out." Dean found a bedroom with an old mattress in the dilapidated home.

"Dean, he's-"

"DON'T!" Dean shouted at Scarlett as he placed Sam's body out on the mattress. "Just leave me alone with him."

"Please, I just want to help."

"Well you can't! And I didn't ask for you to come here in the first place!" Dean shouted.

Scarlett fought back tears.

"C'mon, I called us a cab." Bobby walked up behind Scarlett.

"What? No, I won't leave him alone like this." Scarlett told Bobby.

"Go with him." Dean said quietly but sternly as he turned away from Scarlett and knelt down next to Sam's dead body.

"But I-"

"I said GO!" Dean shouted and laid his forehead down on Sam's chest.

"Scarlett…" Bobby gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Scarlett stared at Dean trying to choke back sobs over his brother's dead body, she knew he wouldn't really grieve with them there. "Fine." She sighed  
Bobby lead her out to the curb to wait for the cab.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been nearly two days since Sam had died and Dean hadn't returned to Bobby's place yet.

"Do you think we should go get him?" Scarlett asked Bobby over a cup of coffee.

"I reckon we better 'for a demon or a spirit tries to settle in...Sam's…"

"Right. Let's pick up some food on the way, I doubt he's eaten." Scarlett suggested.

The two got in Bobby's rusty '71 Chevelle and headed back to Cold Oak to find Dean.

"So any development on that dream ya had last night?" Bobby made conversation as they drove.

Scarlett thought back on her latest premonition.

 _A black cloud rushed quickly over a quiet suburban town, sounds of thunder accompanying it. A man looked up towards the sky with horror as the cloud snaked down towards him, slithering inside his gaping mouth and settling deep inside him. The man closed his mouth and blinked his now onyx black eyes._

"No, just that the man was obviously possessed by something ultra nasty...I've never seen a demon's spirit that large before. There was more dark cloud even after the demon possessed him." Scarlett paused with a thought. "Have you ever heard of a weather-controlling-demon?" She mused.

"Not in my lifetime...don't mean there ain't one though." Bobby sighed. "I've been charting some weird patterns in supernatural activity…somethin' is comin'."

When they pulled up to the abandoned house where they'd left Dean, Scarlett was a bit relieved to see the Impala still parked out front.

"I wonder if he's left at all." Bobby shook his head and reached for the fast food bucket on his dash.

Scarlett had grabbed it faster. "C'mon!" Scarlett practically sprinted up to the door.

She spent the last day and a half anxious to be back with Dean, even though didn't want her around. She knew she couldn't understand the kind of pain he must be going through, but she was sure that if she could just be near him...maybe she could be of use somehow, even if it was just to be a silent fried-chicken-delivery-service.

She took a deep breath and paused at the threshold of the abandoned home before slowly walking inside.

There he was: leaning in the doorway of the bedroom where he'd laid Sam.

As Scarlett walked towards a statuesque Dean, Sam's body came into view. Dean had folded Sam's arms peacefully across his chest; it was like looking at an open casket.

Scarlett couldn't bring herself to disturb the two of them.

The door creaked again "Dean?" Bobby walked in.

Dean turned to look over his shoulder and Scarlett caught his gaze. Scarlett's heart sunk, his eyes were as dim and lifeless as Sam's body.

"Brought you this back." Bobby nodded to the bucket of chicken in Scarlett's hands.

Scarlett silently held the chicken out to him, but Dean just dropped his stare back down to Sam.

"No thanks, I'm fine." He said in monotone.

"You should eat somethin'." Bobby said and took the bucket from Scarlett to place it on the table in the next room.

Dean followed over to the table."I said I'm fine." Dean insisted, picking up an open beer bottle and taking a swig from it.

Scarlett looked around the table littered with empty bottles and then back to Bobby.

"Dean…" Bobby looked away from her, "I hate to bring this up. I really do." He looked back at Dean who was staring into the nozzle of his beer. "But don't you think maybe it's time…we bury Sam."

Dean's head shot up and he gave Bobby an icy glare. "No." Dean sat down at the table.

Scarlett watched from the threshold of the room.

"We could maybe…" Bobby sighed.

"What, torch his corpse?" Dean looked up at Bobby with a dead expression. "Not yet." He shook his head with resolve.

"I want you to come with me." Bobby leaned down to Dean's eye-line with concern.

Dean raised his eyebrows, "I'm not going anywhere." Anger bubbling below his whisper.

"Dean, please…" Scarlett slowly approached, her eyes getting glassy.

"Won't you cut me some slack?" Dean spat.

"We just don't think you should be alone, that's all." Bobby softened. "I gotta admit, we could use your help."

"Something big is going down." Scarlett stood behind Bobby.

"End-of-the-world-big." Bobby confirmed.

"WELL, THEN LET IT END!" Dean shouted up at Bobby.

Scarlett jumped, startled by his outburst.

Bobby didn't flinch. "You don't mean that." He said sadly.

"You don't think so?" Dean got up and walked towards the two of them, eyed Scarlett with his jaw clenched angrily and then settled in front of Bobby: whose mouth was agape. "Huh? You don't think I've given enough?"

Scarlett let a few tears spill over and Bobby dropped his head with a shake.

"You don't think I've paid enough?" Dean continued to stare him down.

Bobby met Dean's eyes again, his own full of sorrow.

"I'm done with it. All of it." Dean said through gritted teeth. "If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around and get the hell out of here."

Bobby stood in place.

"Go!" Dean shoved Bobby.

Scarlett gasped, tears steadily streaming now.

Dean backed away from the two of them. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He quivered. "Please just go." Dean walked back to look at Sam.

"You know where I'll be." Bobby left the house.

Scarlett followed and paused at the porch again.

"Y'heard him, he don't want our help." Bobby motioned for Scarlett to follow him.

"I'm staying."

"Look, he'll come around, he just needs his time alone first."

"I...but...you saw. I can't leave him here like this." Scarlett sniffed.

Bobby sighed. "What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing...just...be here." Scarlett sat down on the porch steps.

"Might be a long wait, darlin'." Bobby warned.

"I don't mind." Scarlett folded her arms around her knees.

"I know you don't." Bobby gave Scarlett a half smile and tipped his baseball cap at her. "Call if ya need anything."

Scarlett nodded and watched Bobby get back into his Chavelle and drive off.

Time ticked on, each hour marked by the sound of an empty beer bottle hitting the floor inside. Night fell eventually and Scarlett made herself comfortable sitting on the porch, leaned up against the wall under the window. She heard dean talking to Sam inside.

"It's like I had one job...I had one job….and I screwed it up." Dean's voice cracked with emotion. "I blew it...and for that I'm sorry." Dean choked. "I guess that's what I do. I let down the people I love." Dean sighed. "I let dad down...and now I guess I'm just supposed to let you down too."

Scarlett's eyes welled at Dean's heartbreaking turmoil.

"How can I? How am I supposed to live with that...What am I supposed to do ...Sammy ...God ...What am I supposed to do?" Dean cried. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!"

Scarlett heard Dean kick around furniture before he came flying out of the house.

"Dean?!" Scarlett jumped up and grabbed his arm.

He barely looked at her as he ripped his arm away and jumped in his Impala.

Scarlett ran after him. "Dean!" She tried to open the car door but it was locked.

Dean ignored her as he put the gear in reverse.

"Dean!" Scarlett banged on the window.

Dean peeled away down the drive.

Scarlett walked back inside feeling useless. Well while Dean was away, at least she could watch Sam's body and make sure he didn't get possessed.

She sat down next to the bed where Sam was laid and scanned his face: still full of innocence, even in death. She hoped she still might get to see him in her

visions of the past, growing up...almost like his story could still have a different ending.

Scarlett reached out to hold his cold hand and cried for the loss of such a sweet soul.

 _Dean is standing in the center of a dirt road at a four way intersection with an attractive brunette._  
 _The two are standing closely together, almost intimate._  
 _The brunette sighs, tilts her head to the side, and says, "I'll do it."_  
 _"You'll bring him back?" Dean asks sternly._  
 _"I will...and because I'm such a saint, I'll give you one year- and one year only."_  
 _Dean looks at her uneasily._  
 _"But here's the thing…" She whispers, inching closer to Dean, "if you try and welch or weasel your way out," she looks to his mouth hungrily, "then the deal is OFF. Sam drops dead. He's back to rotten meat in no time." She stares back down at Dean's lips. "So? It's a better deal then your dad ever got." She offers. "What do you say?"_  
 _Dean stares at her for a moment and then pulls her into a kiss._  
 _She grabs his head and kisses back passionately._

Sam's body gasped for air.

"AH!" Scarlett screamed as she came back from her vision, a previously lifeless Sam now stirring.

Sam groaned.

Scarlett quickly got up and rushed towards the bedroom door, away from what she assumed to be a demon possessing Sam's body.

"Scarlett?" Sam called to her.

Scarlett paused at the sincerity. "...Sam?" She asked with tears welling in her eyes.

"Where's Dean?"

"He...he's…Somewhere."

"Ugh, my back!" Sam groaned again.

Scarlett was in shock.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"I...I…I…" Scarlett stuttered as she took in a miracle.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, stay right there." Scarlett swallowed her emotions and rushed outside.

She fumbled with her phone.

 _"Bobby."_ Bobby answered on the other end.

"He's alive."

 _"Who?"_

"Sam, Sam is alive."

 _"What?"_

"Dean did it. Somehow...He brought him back."

 _"But that's…oh, God."_

"Scarlett?" Sam called from inside the house.

"I gotta go." Scarlett hung up the call as Dean pulled into the driveway.

Dean rushed passed Scarlett and into the house, Scarlett followed him.

"Sammy?" Dean stumbled at the sight of his little brother standing up. "Thank God." He pulled Sam into a tight hug.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the car ride to Bobby's, Sam filled them in on being kidnapped by the yellow-eyed demon and being pit against other psychics like him to fight until there was only one of them left alive.

"That must have been horrible." Scarlett empathized.

"Yeah...I can't believe they left me still alive." Sam shook his head in disbelief.

"Well, they must think you died." Dean said calmly.

"Yeah...I guess. Honestly, I don't know how I didn't. When he stabbed me in the spine...It felt like...it was over."

"Not gonna lie, it was pretty touch and go…but Scarlett & Bobby make a great medical team."

Bobby answered his door to see Scarlett, Dean, and Sam. He couldn't quite decide on an emotion as the three of them stood on his doorstep with Sam like he hadn't been for the dead the past 2 days.

"Hey, thanks for patching me up." Sam patted Bobby on the shoulder as he passed him.

"Yeah, don't mention it." Bobby barely made the words as Dean and Scarlett walked quietly inside.

"So what's this big bad you're worried about, Bobby?" Sam asked and looked over the maps of omens laid out on Bobby's dining table.

"I don't know...I can't quite see a pattern yet, they're everywhere all over Wyoming, well except for this small area but maybe you can put a fresh set of eyes on em? Find something that means something?" Bobby asked Sam.

"Yeah, sure." Sam nodded and sat down with them.

"Anyway I got some more books in the car, Dean...help me lug them in?"

"Uh, yep." Dean followed Bobby out of the room.  
Scarlett stood silently with Sam for a moment. "What am I, chopped liver?" Scarlett rolled her eyes and headed outside after Bobby and Dean. "I have arms you kn-"

"What did you do!?" Bobby yelled in Dean's face, clutching him by the collar. "You made a deal for Sam, didn't ya?"

Scarlett remembered her vision, it had fallen to the back of her mind in all the of the drama of...well...Sam's resurrection.

"How long did they give you?!" Bobby's shouting brought Scarlett back to the present.

"How long did they give him to what?" Scarlett started piecing it together.

"Bobby." Dean nodded towards Scarlett.

"I don't care if she hears! HOW LONG?!"

"One year." Dean said.

"One year for what?" Scarlett asked again.

"Dammit Dean." Bobby said, exasperated.

"Which is why we gotta find this yellow-eyed son of a bitch. That's why I'm gonna kill him myself. I got nothing to lose now, right?"

"Now that what?" Scarlett probed, knowing the answer already.

"I COULD THROTTLE YOU!" Bobby grabbed Dean by the collar again.

"And send me downstairs ahead of schedule?" Dean said nonchalantly.

Scarlett gasped at the confirmation.

"What is it with you Winchesters? First your dad, now you...just itchin to throw yourselves down the pitt."

"That's my point, Dad brought me back, Bobby. I'm not even supposed to be here, at least this way something good can come out of it y'know? It's like my life can mean something."

"What? And it didn't before?" Bobby looked heart broken. "Have you got that low of an opinion of yourself? Are you that screwed in the head?!" Bobby grabbed him again.

Scarlett ran up and pushed Bobby from Dean.

"Thank y-" Dean started.

Scarlett punched him in the face. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Scarlett cried at Dean while he stumbled.

"Me? You're the one always hitting me in the face," Dean wiped blood from his nose, "what's wrong with you?!"

"You two! Out here yelling about some deal...that woman, she was a demon, wasn't she?"

"How did you-"

"How could you?!" Scarlett went in for another punch.

Dean caught her fist mid-swing. He stared at Scarlett, her brows were scrunched up in anger and there was a snarl on her mouth but her eyes were watering, her lip was trembling, and the fist he held was shaking. He softened his grip.

"I couldn't let him die, Scar." Dean said sincerely. "I couldn't, he's my brother."

"How's your brother gonna feel when he finds out you're going to Hell?" Bobby interjected.

Scarlett started to sob and Dean pulled her into his chest.

"How did you feel when your dad went for you?" Bobby asked.

"You can't tell him, okay? You can take a shot at me too, whatever you gotta do, but please don't tell him." Dean begged Bobby with glassy eyes.

Bobby fought back his own tears for Dean but their vulnerable moment was interrupted by some rustling in the junkyard.

Scarlett pulled away from Dean and all three went on alert.

A brunette woman climbed out of an old car.

"Ellen!" Dean and Bobby rushed over to the woman's aid.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ellen Horvelle had missed dying in a fire at her roadhouse a few days earlier but came with the Maps that Ash had stashed for Dean before his untimely departure.

"Wyoming...what does that mean?" Dean looked at the map.

"It's a pentagram…" Scarlett traced a star inside the five X's marked on the map.

"What's at the center?" Sam asked.

"An old cowboy cemetery." Dean answered.

"Each of those marks a 19th century church built by - get this - Samuel Colt." Bobby came in with a big book open and reading it in-hand.

"Samuel Colt?" Scarlett asked. "Like the gun making guy?"

"Like the demon-killing, gun-making guy." Dean corrected.

"One and the same." Bobby confirmed.

"He was a hunter? Ya learn something new every day." Scarlett shrugged.

"So what's that mean?" Sam asked.

"Well them churches are each lined up with a railroad that runs around them."

"An iron pentagram…" Scarlett realized.

"A 100 square mile Devil's trap." Dean continued.

"And it still works." Sam said excitedly. "The maps of Bobby's omens...they match up. They can't get in….right Bobby?"

"Well, they'd need an A-bomb. No way a full-blooded demon gets through."

"No, but I know who can." Sam grimaced.

"Your military buddy." Dean scowled, thinking of the man who stabbed Sam.

"So what are they trying to get to in that Cemetery?" Ellen asked.

"Only one way to find out…" Bobby said.


	22. Chapter 22

With Sam and Scarlett asleep in the car with him, Dean followed behind Bobby down the dark Nebraska highway; he was on autopilot after the night's overwhelming events.

He couldn't decide whether tonight had been a victory or a total failure, a feeling that he should have been used to in this line of work, but it always brought him a stomach full of guilt.

The literal gates to hell had opened up and his father crawled out of the depths to finally help his sons kill the yellow-eyed demon Azazel and avenge their mother, but at what cost? The colt was useless, God knows how many demons escaped from the gates while they were opened, and he was going to Hell himself in one year's time.

All horrors considered, Dean felt relieved...which is where the guilt kicked in. His dad had gone to Hell in trade for his life and now he knew John wasn't rotting for eternity in place of him anymore; he got to shoot that yellow-eyed fuck that stole his family from him; Sam was alive; and Scarlett...was safe.

Back in the cemetery there had been a close call for Scarlett. She'd been fighting - Dean had noted how well - with Jake, that bastard that stabbed Sam.

" _Howdy, Jake." Sam says as Dean, Bobby, and Ellen surround Jake at gunpoint.  
Scarlett is crouched behind a gravestone, gun in-hand, a couple yards off.  
_" _Wait...You were dead, I killed you." Jake looks at Sam in disbelief.  
_ " _Yeah, well next time finish the job."  
_ " _I did! I cut clean through your spinal cord, man. You can't be alive." Jake shakes his head. "You can't be."  
Dean's heart sinks and he hopes Sam won't read into this revelation.  
_" _Ok, just take it real easy there, Son." Bobby says, his_ _gun is aiming at Jake's head._ _"And if I don't?"  
_ " _Wait and see!" Sam threatens.  
_ " _What, you a tough guy all of a sudden?" Jake cocks his head. "What are you going to do, kill me?"  
_ " _It's a thought." Sam seethes.  
_ " _You had your chance; you couldn't."  
_ " _Won't make that mistake twice."  
Jake smirks.  
_" _What are you smiling at, you little bitch?" Dean spews.  
_ " _Hey ladies!" Jake calls out with a sick smile.  
Terror strikes Dean as he realizes the plural.  
Scarlett stands up from behind the gravestone and slowly walks up towards the group.  
_" _Scarlett get down." Dean growls.  
_ " _I...can't…" Scarlett walks to stand beside Ellen.  
_ " _Do me a favor," Jake addresses the women, "hold your guns to your head."  
_ _They do as he directed.  
Dean's stomach bottoms out as he sees Scarlett point her barrel at her own temple, her eyes welling with tears.  
_" _See that Ava girl was right," Jake smiles, "once you give into it, there's all sorts of new Jedi-mind-tricks you can learn."  
_ " _Let them go." Sam demands.  
_ " _Shoot him." Ellen says, her voice is shaking but full of resolve.  
_ " _You'll be mopping up skulls before you get a shot off." Jake assures them calmly.  
Scarlett's nose starts to bleed and she lowers her gun.  
_" _You're strong," Jake is surprised, "no matter, I'm stronger."  
Ellen points her gun at Scarlett and Scarlett freezes.  
_" _Everybody put your guns down," Jake looks to Ellen, "except you sweetheart."  
Dean is the first to lay down his weapon and the rest follow suit.  
_" _Okay, thank you." Jake nods and then rushes to unlock the hell-gate with the Colt.  
Dean dives for Scarlett as Ellen pulls the trigger. Sam and Bobby wrestle the gun from Ellen and she bursts into tears. "Is she okay?"  
Dean is caged atop Scarlett, her long hair tangled with dirt and leaves, she's safe.  
_

Dean looked in the rear view mirror at Scarlett. Her head was lightly bouncing against the glass of the window as she slept, causing her auburn locks to cascade over her face. He reached over and jostled Sam's shoulder.

Sam took a sharp inhale, "What's up?" He stretched.

"Tell her to lay down, she's gonna bruise her forehead." Dean instructed him.

Sam reached in the back and lightly shook Scarlett's knee.

Dean glanced in the rear view again to see her barely open her left eye.

"Hey, lay down." Sam said as he unclicked her seat belt for her.

She didn't say anything, just nodded as she curled up using one of his jackets he'd left back there as a pillow.

"So how are we going to get you out of this?" Sam asked gravely.

They sat in a weighted silence for a moment.

"We're not." Dean said with finality.

The cars pulled up to Bobby's home where a shadowy figure sat waiting on the porch.

Dean and Sam looked at each other, too exhausted for words, but both confirming with the other to keep their wits about them.

The boys watched as Bobby stepped out of his car cautiously. Dean checked the backseat, Scarlett was still sleeping. He motioned for Sam to stay quiet and they both silently exited the Impala.

"Who's there?" Bobby called through the night.

"Just an old friend." A man replied in a thick Hungarian accent.

"Nicolae, that you?" Tension left Bobby's form as he walked up to the stranger.

"Shoshannah called me." A tall man with a gruff looking beard stepped off the porch. "She saw what happened with the gate."

"You're a little late to the party, Nick." Bobby said gravely.

"You have a girl with you." Nick continued.

Dean looked at Sam.

Bobby hesitated. "These are John's boys: Sam and Dean." He ushered the men to meet.

"Where is she?" Nick asked.

"Who wants to know?" Dean puffed up.

"Please, I just need to know that she's safe."

"Bobby, who is this guy?" Sam asked.

"Nicolae Meszároš." Scarlett's voice quivered behind them.

"Anasztázia!" Nick gasped.

Scarlett stood in front of Nick. "My name is Scarlett." She said aggressively.

"Anasztázia?" Bobby's eyes widened at the girl standing in front of him.

"What's going on?" Dean demanded; the tone Scarlett used was so cold it made the hairs on his neck stand at attention.

"What are you doing with these people, Ana?" Nick asked.

"I told you, my NAME is SCARLETT."

Dean swore he felt a burst of wind.

"What they do...it's dangerous, Ana."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT."

"I am bringing you to your mother." Nick insisted.

"Scarlett...who is this?" Sam asked.

"He's her father." Bobby said.

Scarlett scoffed. "He's a sperm donor at best."

"That's enough Ana," Nick grabbed her wrist, "you don't have to like me, but you have to come with me."

"Get your hands off her." Dean pushed the man away from Scarlett.

"You don't want to get into this with me, boy." Nick glowered.

Scarlett stepped back in between them.

"So what, you think you can track me down after eighteen years and I'm still going to act like your daughter?"

"You are my daughter." Nick softened.

"You're a stranger to me." Scarlett rolled her eyes. "And I'm not going anywhere with you." She pushed past him and walked up the porch into Bobby's house.

"Look, we've all had a long night. Maybe let her sleep on it and y'all have a discussion in the morning. You can even crash here if you like." Bobby offered.

"As wise as you are kind, Bobby." Nick smiled. "I have a motel up the road, I'll stop by in the morning."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Scarlett sat down on the edge of the bed reeling, she hadn't seen her father since she was 7; he walked out after a bad fight with her mother and never came back.

" _Never go to Louisiana,_ _Anasztázia_ _, promise me!" Shoshannah Hart shakes her daughter.  
_ " _Mommy, you're hurting me." Scarlett cries.  
_ " _La naiba, Shoshannah! She is just a child." Nick scoops up Scarlett and brings her to her room. "Totul el bine, Ana. Stay here and play with your_ _păpuși_ _while I talk to Mommy."  
_ " _Ok,_ _tată." Scarlett agrees and goes to grab her Barbies as her dad shuts the door.  
As soon as the door is closed, Scarlett hears shouting from the living room. She sets down her Barbie box and walks over to her bedroom door to listen, but the voices are distorted. Scarlett cracks the door just a bit so she can hear what's going on.  
The spiral staircase leading up to the loft where her dad had been sleeping for the past few months blocks her view a bit. Her dad waves his hands up and down like a conductor, but her mom shakes a pointer at her dad to punctuate her every word; they both look like headless marionettes.  
_" _I will not have her grow up in this, Nicolae."  
_ " _You think I want this for her? It is our family's legacy."  
_ " _It's YOUR family's legacy. Not ours."  
_ " _It's apart of you too, Shoash. You know this as well as I do."  
_ " _I don't know what you're talking about."  
_ " _Yes you d_ _o. Why do you think your emotions are everywhere?"  
_ " _I'm bipolar, Nicolae, I need you to be the steady one and you sound crazier than I do."  
_ " _Bipolar." Nick snorts. "You have a gift and you waste it."  
_ " _I'm SICK and you make it worse!"  
_ " _If you are sick then I can't help you. When you want to do something with your mind let me know." Nicolae grabs a duffel from a chair.  
_ " _Where are you going, Nick?"  
_ " _I can't sit here and wait for it. It's not who I am." Nicolae starts for the front door.  
_ _Scarlett flies out of her bedroom. "Nu mă lăsa!" Tears stream down her face as she latches onto Nicolae's waist. "Tată, take me with you!"  
_ _Shoshanna buckles onto her knees.  
_ " _Mama ta are nevoie de tine. You can't come with me." Nicolae peels Scarlett off of him and walks out of the house to his car.  
_ " _No, Tat_ _ă!" Scarlett runs after him crying.  
_ _Nicolae throws the duffel into his back seat. "Ana, get back inside." Nicolae gets into the driver's seat without a glance at his daughter.  
_ " _Tat_ _ă!" Scarlett bangs on the car as he shuts the door. "You're going to come back, though, right?!"  
_ " _Away from the car, Ana!" Nicolae bellows.  
_ _Scarlett cries as she watches her father back out of the driveway and wonders if she'll ever feel whole again._

A knock on the door brought Scarlett to the present; Dean walked in.

"I know you probably want some alone time...but my clean clothes are in the here and after tonight-"

"Of course!" Scarlett shot up out of the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to steal your room, I just went to where I stayed last time I was here."

"Not a problem, I can stay with Sammy tonight."

Scarlett started to sob.

"Or not, whatever you want!" Dean stood in the doorway not knowing if he could come in.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry." Scarlett sniffed back tears.

Dean decided to walk in and sat down next to her. "You have nothing to apologize for."

Scarlett wiped her eyes. "I guess I'm feeling overwhelmed."

"Yeah, well...you did almost get shot, watched the gates of Hell open up, and reunite with your estranged father all in one night."

"Well when you put it like that." Scarlett chuckled and bumped her shoulder into Dean's.

Dean looked down at her, she was smiling but he could tell she was still fighting back tears.

Dean brushed a stray tear from her cheek. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really." Scarlett looked up at him.

"Do you want to be alone?"

"Not really." Scarlett's voice caught as she stared into Dean's impossibly green eyes.


	23. Chapter 23

_Citrus and rose._  
Dean drank in the familiar scent of Scarlett; he wondered how many more times he would get to wake up to that intoxicating fragrance before his year was done.  
He stopped his train of thought and opened his eyes.  
Scarlett was curled up to him with her head on his chest, there were lines on her face from the wrinkles in his t-shirt, and her hair was wild.  
He watched as a little piece of Scarlett's hair danced gently in and out of her mouth at each breath and thought there couldn't be anything more perfect and peaceful.  
He'd never had a steady woman to wake up with...he came close once with an old flame named Lisa, they spent an entire week together before he got antsy and ran off to a job that Sam and his dad more than had covered.  
Dean brushed the hair from Scarlett's mouth and tucked it behind her ear.  
Steady is all that Scarlett had; even if it was with an asshole before, he knew what kind of life she wanted. " _White picket fence, 2.5 kids, and a Golden Retriever"_ he recalled. Something he would never be able to give her...even if he wasn't going to Hell in a year, he just wasn't that guy. Scarlett deserved that guy.  
Dean attempted to slyly pull himself out from underneath her before she noticed their intimate sleeping position, but ended up waking her up instead.  
Scarlett's lids fluttered open and she looked up at Dean, her hazel eyes were soft and gold like honey this morning and he melted, any concern for Scarlett's future happiness dissolved into his selfish desire to be near her.

"Where are you going?" Scarlett spoke her first sentence of the day and began to lift herself away from him.  
"Nowhere." He hugged her close and kissed her forehead.  
She nuzzled her face into his shoulder, breathed in deep, and then sighed.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Absolutely nothing." She whispered into him. "I missed you."

Dean didn't know how to respond, if he let this continue she would miss him even more after the year was out.  
A knock came on the door to save him.  
"Scarlett?" Sam's muffled voice came through from the other side.  
Scarlett jumped up, still fully clothed from the night before. "What's up?" She answered the door.  
Sam took in the scene and shot Dean a quick smirk and eyebrow raise.  
"Your...uh...Nicolae is here."  
Scarlett rolled her eyes with a sigh. "I have to take a shower." She walked passed Sam and down to the bathroom.  
Sam looked to Dean, Dean shook his head.  
"Let's go find out the deal with this S.O.B." Dean got up from the bed.

Sam followed down the stairs behind Dean.  
"Ah, buna dimineata." Nick raised his mug of coffee to the Winchester brothers as they entered the kitchen where he and Bobby sat. "Good morning."  
"We'll see about that." Dean grunted as he poured himself a cup.  
"You don't like me." Nick chortled.  
"I don't know you."  
"Da." Nick nodded. "But I know you."  
"Oh yeah?" Dean sat down across from Nick, staring him dead in the eye.  
"I knew your father; he was a good man and an even better hunter." Nick leaned into the table towards Dean and raised his mug.  
Dean glared at Nick for a moment, trying to sense anything about this man...he got nothing, which wasn't really bad but wasn't really good either; normally he could feel in his gut what someone's intentions were and Nicolae he couldn't read at all. He raised his mug to meet Nick and they cheersed to his father.  
"So you're a hunter?" Sam asked, sitting down only after a bit of the alpha-tension dissipated.  
"Da."  
"Why didn't Scarlett know about...well, anything?" Dean leaned in as well.  
"That was her mother's choice."  
"Well, it sounds like her mom's been out of the picture for a while now...and you too." Dean said pointedly.  
Nick sighed. "It was better for her that way."  
"I doubt she agrees."  
Aggressive silence fell at the table again.  
"Bobby, did you know?" Dean turned to him.  
"Of course not!" Bobby huffed. "Though, now that I do know...I can't believe I didn't see it before. She looks just like Shoshannah."  
"Yes, her mother is strong in her." Nick agreed with a fleeting smile.  
"She stayed here for a time right after she sent Anasztázia- er- Scarlett to live with her brother. Left some stuff." Bobby mused. "You know somewhere…" Bobby got up and walked out of the kitchen.

Dean took advantage of Bobby's absence to lay down some boundaries for this man.  
"Look, I don't know what you think you're here for, but I want you to know that the only person who decides where Scarlett is going to go and what Scarlett is going to do is Scarlett." Dean glared. "You got that?"  
Nick looked at Dean very seriously.  
Sam tensed up, ready to have his brother's back if necessary.  
Nick's face softened into a half smile. "You would die for her."

"What?" Dean was caught off guard.  
"Here it is!" Bobby exclaimed and put a small shoe box down on the kitchen table.  
"What's this?" Sam asked.  
"Hah!" Nick bellowed. "Shoshannah's cutie mică de comori."  
"What is it?"  
"Her little box of treasures." Nick clarified. "A memory box."

Bobby opened the shoe box. "Somewhere in this box is a picture of you all together."  
"Who all?" Sam asked.  
Bobby pushed a small 3x5 photograph across the table to Dean and Sam.  
"That's Scarlett and her mama, and..." Bobby began.  
Sam studied the picture of them. "You and mom." Sam looked at Dean with disbelief.  
"I took the fotografie. You are in there too, see?" Nick pointed at Mary's pregnant belly in the photo.  
Dean looked over the picture.  
His mom and Shoshannah were standing in a park smiling ear to ear, their arms around each other, and Mary's head tilted to lay slightly on Shoshannah's shoulder. Below them on a picnic blanket were two toddlers: Dean and supposedly Scarlett. Tiny Scarlett's hair was copper red, she was holding an upside-down stuffed pig and giggling, little Dean had his arms draped over her neck in a friendly hug and was smiling up at his mom. They looked so normal.  
He flipped it over: scrawled on the back in feminine script was written " _Broken Arrow Park Lawrence, KS April 9th, 1983 Mary, Me, Dean, & Ana_"  
Dean wondered if this picture was why Dean felt so comfortable with Scarlett...after all, he already knew her.  
"This was taken only three weeks before you were born, Sammy; just a few months before she…" Dean trailed off.  
Nick cleared his throat. "Shoshannah met your mother at a farmers market that spring while I was doing a Job in Kansas." Nick reminisced. "They were looking at fruits when Shoash bumped into her...Shoshannah has the gift and she felt your mother needed her help."  
"Help with Azazel?" Sam asked.  
"I did not know at the time, though Shoshanna is Jewish on her father's side...maybe she could feel his torment around her."  
"What does being Jewish have to do with Azazel?" Sam asked.  
"Azazel is supposedly the embodiment of all Jewish sins." Nicolae informed them. "Whatever it was, those two weeks we were here: they were inseparable. I think Shoshannah had some comfort for Mary. They whispered like schoolgirl friends whenever they were together."  
"What do you mean Shoshannah has 'i _the gift_ /i'?" Dean asked.

"The same gift Anasztázia has." Nicolae took a sip of his coffee. "That is why I'm here."  
"How could you two leave me alone with this?" Scarlett emerged into the kitchen from upstairs, angry tears welling in her eyes.  
Dean swiped the photo from the table and pocketed it before Scarlett could see.  
"Ana." Nick got up.  
"Stop." Scarlett took a step back as Nick moved forward.  
Nick obliged and gave her space.  
"Încă mai vorbești limba?" Nick asked her. (Do you still speak the language)  
"Da," Scarlett scoffed. "Desigur." (Yes, of course)  
"What are they speaking?" Dean looked to Sam, who shrugged.  
"Romanian." Bobby answered.

"Îmi pare rău fiica mea, mama ta nu a vrut această viață pentru tine." (I'm sorry daughter, your mother didn't want this life for you.)  
"Si tu? Care este scazuta?" (And you? What's your excuse?)  
"Nu am vrut ca mama ta să mă omoare." Nick gave a slight chuckle. (I didn't want your mother to kill me.)  
"Not good enough." Scarlett stomped.  
"Ana, please."  
"What do you want me to say, huh? It's all okay?" Scarlett fought back tears. "Yeah, you know what? It's fine. It's all fine. Fine you missed 18 years of birthdays and holidays. Fine you weren't there to teach me how to drive. Fine you missed my high school and college graduations. Fine you missed my engagement party. Fine you missed my first devastating heartbreak. Fine you never told me about my family. Fine you weren't there to show me how to be...whatever it is that am. Fine you missed my life. It's all fine. I'm fine. I didn't need you then and I don't need you now, so why don't you go fuck off to wherever mom is in India and tell her the same cause I'm fine without having either of you around. Always have been, always will be." Scarlett walked out of the room.  
Dean followed after her out to the back yard.

Scarlett crossed her arms and let out a deep breath as she looked out over the junk yard that was Bobby's property.  
"So that was intense." Dean walked up next to her.  
"Yeah, I need a cigarette." Scarlett scoffed.  
"No need to kill yourself over them."  
"You're probably right." Scarlett laughed. "I just hate feeling like this."  
"Feeling like what?"  
"Like I'm an angsty teen fighting with her parents."  
"Look, at least you have parents to fight with."  
"Aaaand I'm even more of an asshole for complaining to you in particular."  
"Nah, it's cool, I'm just basically an orphan."  
"Wow, you're very good with the guilt." Scarlett noted.  
"Look, I know this all sucks...but I also know I have a lot of questions about your abilities, so I'm sure you have even more, and he could have some answers."  
Dean reached a hand into his pocket and felt the photo he'd placed there earlier, ready to use it as bait.  
"Yeah, I guess I could put my personal shit aside for a bit considering actual Hell has opened up."

Dean smiled. "That's the spirit."  
"But like, can we talk about how crazy it is that my mom and dad are hunters and I had no idea this whole time?"  
"If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that parents don't tell their kids jack about what's really going on."  
"No kidding."  
"But usually it's to protect them."  
Scarlett looked at Dean. "Again with the guilt trip, are you sure you're not Jewish? Catholic? No?" She joked.  
Dean laughed. "Are you ready to go back in?"  
"As I'll ever be."  
Scarlett followed him back inside to the kitchen.

Scarlett looked at her father. He looked older, a lot older. His dark hair had specks of silver in it, as did his scruffy beard. Concern lined his forehead and crow's feet marked the corners of his eyes, which held dark circles underneath them, but were still a warm hazel that matched her own and mirrored the man she knew as a child back to her. She wanted to hate him, but even through all her anger and frustration there was still a little girl inside of her that was desperate to be reunited with her Tată.

Dean pulled out his old seat across from Nicolae and motioned for Scarlett.  
"So why now?" Scarlett took a seat.  
Dean stood behind her like a bouncer, arms crossed and glaring at Nicolae.  
Nicolae took a breath of relief and nodded in appreciation to Dean.  
"Well, about a year ago your mother started having some dreams of you meeting with the granddaughters of an old friend in San Francisco."  
"The Charmed Ones."  
"Da." Nicolae confirmed. "She could not understand how this could be; why you would know them? You see she had my mother help her to bind your powers when you were a baby and when the dreams of you became so frequent they turned to visions during the day time, she knew it was time to undo this spell from your infancy."  
"Why would she bind my powers? Why wouldn't she tell me any of this herself?"  
"Your mother had fear for your safety. She saw me coming home hurt from jobs and the kind of things that would follow my mother for her power...she did not want this kind of danger in your life."  
"Why did she need your mom to do the spell? Isn't she a witch?"  
"It is hard to describe, there are so many kinds of magic in this world...Shoshannah's is very particular, as is your bunică's, as is yours. Your mamă is an 'empatic'- er-an empath. She feels so much that she can feel what is coming in the future and even sometimes dream it, your bunică she's a vrăjitoare...we are Romani Gypsies and the women in our family they are having special magics. Your mama needs the bloodline in order to bind or release your powers."  
"But grandma died when I was 6, how could she unbind my powers?"  
"I will get there. After your bunică passed your mama started having terrible dreams of your future. Each dream she had you were hunting without your powers, each evil you faced was more vicious than the last, and at the end of each dream you would always be killed."  
"Jesus."  
"Your mama was convinced she had gone crazy. They could not all be visions of the future, how could you die in so many different ways?"

Dean put a hand to Scarlett's shoulder, all this talk of her death...something illogical in his head told him that if he could just touch her then she would be safe.  
Nicolae continued. "I knew she was not crazy, I also knew this was not your future. I knew this to be a warning. Your powers must be with you...or you die. But how can we fix this? Mama was gone and Shoshannah had made sure the only magic in our bloodline was jailed inside you. I left to find solution so none of your mama's dreams will happen to our baby."  
Scarlett let this sink in.  
"The longer I look, the farther I get from my old life, from your mother, from you. It is hard to come back after you know what we know...reality it seems broken somehow. It may not be a good reason, but this is mine. So I stay aways, I keep searching. I cannot take to a defenseless daughter the troubles that hunting will always bring. My wife is ill with her own thoughts, but even this gives me drive...Shoshannah is not having these dreams for no reason. I know a solution must exist, but where?"  
"The sisters."  
"Da. Your mama's dreams last year are the first sign of hope I have in almost 2 decades. She goes to the one called Phoebe who has much like your mama's magic: she will know to trust your mama. They do a spell with her...the power of 3 is very good, but is it enough? Do we trust it and risk the kind of safe blanket you have of your normal life? No. Your mama decides to wait and see. When you come to the girls on your own, we know the spell is good."  
"That was almost 4 months ago, where have you been since then?"  
"Waiting."  
"Waiting? For what?"  
"Your mama she has a plan. I know enough that if Shoshannah says so, then it is good. She says wait, I wait. When Hell gate is to open, she says go...but not to help it close. So I am here waiting for you to return."  
"Wait, if you knew what was happening...how could you not stop it?" Sam interrupted.  
Nicolae had a knowing smile. "For you."  
"Me?" Sam is taken aback.  
Nicolae's face holds an expression that Dean doesn't know how to read.  
"You, your family. Shoshannah knows this is how John will come to be out of Hell and how Azazel will return back to Hell."  
"Oh, yeah."  
"Mom knew that would happen?" Scarlett asked.  
"Ana, the power you have is very great...I do not know what it will become, but I do know that there are things out there that will try and take it from you, kill you just to have it, or kill you to get rid of it. I know you think that we are bad, but no matter what: your mother and I will always love you and do whatever is necessary to protect you. Please, I'm begging you. Come with me away from this all. Come with me to your mama and we will keep you safe together; as a family." Nicolae pleaded.

Scarlett was silent. This was everything she ever hoped for. Her parents only stayed away to protect her and they wanted her to be with them again, all together, no secrets: her family finally whole. But then she thought about the black cloud of evil that poured from the gates of Hell just last night, it coated the sky like a plague and she remembered knowing that she would help to right what had gone wrong.  
"I can't." Scarlett sighed.  
"What can I do to change your mind?"  
"Îmi pare rău, tată," Scarlett hung her head, "nu există nimic care să poți face." (I'm sorry father, there's nothing you can do.)  
Nicolae shrugged nonchalantly. "Bine, am încercat." (Well, I tried)

"What?" Scarlett was glad not to fight but a little part of her was disappointed there wasn't more effort.

Nicolae smirked. "I mean, I would have rather avoided all of this...but I can make you come with me if I choose." Nicolae's accent disappeared and his voice dropped an octave.  
Bobby and Sam stood up.  
"Scarlett, go upstairs." Dean dragged her chair, with her in it, behind him.  
"What's going on?" Scarlett's heart plummeted into her stomach as she stood up.  
Nicolae's eyes turn black. "Wow, you really are stupid, aren't you?"

"Scarlett. Upstairs. NOW!" Dean demands as he and Sam round the demon.  
Bobby rushes to his study to retrieve his exorcism book.  
Scarlett is frozen. The demon stays seated.

"Wa wa wa, my mommy and daddy don't love me." The demon mocked Scarlett with a chuckle.  
"Who are you?" Dean asked through gritted teeth.  
"Just someone who's come to meet the messiah." The demon smiled at Sam.  
"Where's my father?" Scarlett found her voice.  
The demon laughed. "Oh, sweetie. Your dad died YEARS ago. I took his body in...what was it? '88? '89? God the 80's were such a blur!"  
"What?" Scarlett choked.  
"See, I killed your grandma figuring that would release your powers, it didn't...so then I tracked down your dad and killed him...but those pesky powers, still bound. So I took your dad's body and went to find your mom...but that woman she was a tricky one, I'll tell ya. Put some kind of cloaking spell on you and she took off. I tracked her all across the globe until one day...sheer luck I tell ya: a colleague of mine catches sight of her with those Charmed bitches. Finally caught her. I wish I could tell you it was quick...but it wasn't. She took up A LOT of my time, you understand, had to really savor the moment."

Scarlett screamed and Sam felt something pulsate from her.  
The demon's smoke began bubble out of Nicolae's body and towards Scarlett who seemed to be chanting something in Romanian.

Bobby ran into the room with his book and distracted Scarlett for a moment.

The demon returned to inside Nicolae.  
The demon smiled "She was the last thing keeping those powers tucked inside of you."  
Bobby held the book out for Dean and Sam to follow along and the three of them began to exorcise the demon.  
"Go ahead, send me back to Hell, I finished what I was sent here for!"  
Scarlett passed out, her last sight before losing consciousness was of Sam, Dean, and Bobby completing the exorcism.


End file.
